Special City Council Meeting
Friday, March 7, 2025
AGENDA REPORT
TO: Jestin D. Johnson FROM: Erin Roseman
City Administrator Director of Finance
SUBJECT: FY 2025-27 Budget Priorities Poll DATE: February 27, 2025
City Administrator Approval Date:
RECOMMENDATION
Staff Recommends That The City Council Receive An Informational Report & Briefing Of The Budget Priorities Poll (Assessment Of Stakeholder Needs, Concerns And Priorities) In Accordance With The Consolidated Fiscal Policy (Ordinance 13487 C.M.S.)
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Pursuant to the adoption of the Consolidated Fiscal Policy (“CFP”) Ordinance No. 13487 C.M.S., the City Administrator is required to develop and release a survey to assess the public’s concerns, needs, and priorities before the biennial budget is developed. Attachment A contains the survey questions and respondents’ answers.
BACKGROUND / LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
On December 14, 2014, the City Council adopted the CFP (Ordinance No 13279 C.M.S.). The CFP was amended on May 15, 2018, by the City Council (Ordinance No. 13487 C.M.S.) as part of a regular review of the City’s financial policies and to amend the definition of “excess” Real Estate Transfer Taxes.
Section 3.1 of the CFP requires the City Administrator to release a survey to assess the public’s concerns, needs, and priorities before the biennial budget is developed (excerpt below). One purpose of the budget poll is to gather public opinion on budget priorities.
1. Assessment of Stakeholder Needs, Concerns, and Priorities Timeline: Budget Advisory Committee review prior to survey release.
Survey completion by December 5th of even-numbered years. Results publicly available within three weeks of survey's close.
Requirements: The City Administrator should develop or secure a statistically valid survey for assessing the public's concerns, needs and priorities prior to the development of the biennial budget. Whenever Monica Davis (Feb 28, 2025 16:40 PST)
Feb 28, 2025
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: FY 2025-27 Budget Priorities Poll
Date: February 27, 2025 Page 2
Special City Council Meeting
Friday March 7, 2025
feasible, the City should conduct a professional poll administered to a statistically relevant and valid sample of residents that is representative of Oakland's population in terms of race, income, neighborhood, age, profession, family size, homeownership/renter-ship, etc. If that's not possible, then demographic information should be collected and reported out with the survey results.
Attachment A contains the results of the Budget Priorities Community Survey. Attachment B is the Budget Priorities Community Survey PowerPoint presentation.
ANALYSIS AND POLICY ALTERNATIVES
Due to budget constraints, the City did not have funding available for an outside survey. The Budget Advisory Commission (BAC) members created and fielded surveys as volunteers by utilizing a similar method to previous budget polls that statistically represents the City’s population in terms of, but not limited to, race, age, profession, family size, geographical area, and income, conducted by the BAC the survey provides the City Administration, Mayor, and City Council vital and current information regarding the public’s needs, concerns, and priorities to be considered during the budget development process. This complementary approach to formulating budget priorities supports the Citywide priority of responsive and trustworthy government.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no direct fiscal impact for the receipt of this report.
PUBLIC OUTREACH / INTEREST
Section 3.1 of the CFP requires the survey results to be publicly released using various methods, including publishing the results on the City’s Budget website, sharing on social media, and otherwise made widely available.
COORDINATION
The report was prepared in coordination with the Finance Department and the City Administrator’s Office.
SUSTAINABLE OPPORTUNITIES
Economic: The survey assesses a sampling of the City’s residents on their needs, concerns, and priorities to contribute to the City’s biennial budget process.
Environmental: There are no environmental opportunities associated with this report.
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: FY 2025-27 Budget Priorities Poll
Date: February 27, 2025 Page 3
Special City Council Meeting
Friday March 7, 2025
Race & Equity: This survey provides insight into the preferences of different racial and ethnic groups. Taken as a whole, this poll can assist in shaping budget priorities to be in line with services that residents believe are most important to fund.
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: FY 2025-27 Budget Priorities Poll
Date: February 27, 2025 Page 4
Special City Council Meeting
Friday March 7, 2025
ACTION REQUESTED OF THE CITY COUNCIL
Staff Recommends that The City Council Receive An Informational Report & Briefing of the Budget Priorities Poll (Assessment of Stakeholder Needs, Concerns and Priorities) In Accordance With The Consolidated Fiscal Policy (Ordinance 13487 C.M.S.)
For questions regarding this report, please contact Brad Johnson, Finance Department Budget Administrator, at 510-207-5730.
Respectfully submitted,
ERIN ROSEMAN
Director of Finance, Finance Department
Reviewed by,
Bradley Johnson, Budget Administrator,
Finance Department
Prepared by:
Walter Silva, Administrative Services Manager,
Budget Bureau, Finance Department
Attachments (2):
A- Budget Priorities Survey Results
B- Budget Priorities Survey Presentation
Erin Roseman (Feb 28, 2025 15:05 PST)