CITY OF POMONA
COUNCIL REPORT
December 1, 2025
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Anita D. Scott, City Manager
Submitted By: Maritza Sosa-Nieves, Assistant to the City Manager SUBJECT: PROPOSED BALLOT MEASURE FOR JUNE 2026 MUNICIPAL PRIMARY ELECTION TO AMEND AND REFINE MEASURE Y ______________________________________________________________________________ RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Council take the following action:
Discuss and direct staff to place a ballot measure on the June 2, 2026, Municipal Primary Election ballot to amend and refine Measure Y as recommended by the Council Measure Y Subcommittee.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In November 2024, Pomona voters approved Measure Y, known as the “Pomona Kids First Initiative”, which established the Pomona Children and Youth Fund and the Department of Children and Youth. While the City remains strongly committed to the initiative’s core goal of investing in children and youth, the escalating General Fund allocation requirements mandated by Measure Y have placed increasing financial strain on the City’s ability to sustain essential services and maintain safe, reliable infrastructure. Therefore, to reduce the substantial fiscal impact from Measure Y’s current mandated allocations, it is recommended that the City Council consider placing a measure on the June 2, 2026, Municipal Primary Election ballot to amend and refine Measure Y to address fiscal impacts and address legal clarifications while prioritizing ongoing investment in Pomona’s children and youth.
SB1439/GOVERNMENT CODE §84308 APPLICABILITY:
☐ When this box is checked, it indicates the agenda item is subject to the Levine Act SB1439 requirements. Councilmembers are reminded to check their campaign contributions and determine whether they have received a campaign contribution of $500 or more that would require disclosure and/or recusal from discussing or acting on this agenda item. Campaign contributions of $500 or more made 1) by any person or entity who is identified in the agenda report as the applicant or proposer or 2) on behalf of the applicant or participant, including a parent, subsidiary or otherwise related business entity, or 3) by any person who has a financial interest in the agenda item requires a councilmember to comply with SB1439
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact to the General Fund or the Children and Youth Fund with this discussion action. If the City Council decides to proceed with placing a measure on the ballot, the fiscal impacts will be included in a future staff report. The transfers from the General Fund to the Children and Youth Fund in Fiscal Years 2024-25 and 2025-26 have been completed and will remain in that Fund even if the proposed ballot measure is approved by Council and passed by the electorate.
PREVIOUS RELATED ACTIONS
On March 18, 2024, the City Council submitted Measure Y to Pomona voters at the General Municipal Election held on Tuesday, November 5, 2024. At that Election, Pomona voters approved Measure Y.
On April 21, 2025, the City Council approved Resolution No. 2025-49, adopting the Measure Y Implementation Policy as authorized by Section 4 of the Measure.
On May 5, 2025, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 4356, which sunsets the Youth Commission and expands opportunities for youth on the Measure Y Accountability Board, a 15-member board of which eight must be between 15 and 24 years old.
DISCUSSION
Pomona voters approved Measure Y at the General Municipal Election on November 5, 2024. Measure Y required the City to set aside/allocate two percent (2%) of its “annual actual unrestricted general-purpose revenues” by January 2025 to establish a new Children and Youth Fund to finance and operate the newly created Department of Children and Youth, subject to the requirements of the Measure. The allocation increased to 5% in Fiscal Year 2025-26 and will increase by 1% each fiscal year until it reaches 10% of such revenues by Fiscal Year 2030-31. The allocation will remain at 10% for each fiscal year thereafter until Measure Y is repealed or amended.
The “annual actual unrestricted general-purpose revenues” from which the allocation must be made includes all of the following sources of revenue received by the City: (1) Property Taxes, (2) General Sales and Use Taxes, (3) Utility Users Tax, (4) Property Transfer Tax, (5) Transient Occupancy Tax, (6) Fines, forfeitures and penalties, (7) Interest from general fund reserves, and (8) other revenues that the City can use for any lawful, municipal purpose. However, by law, City revenues from sources like special taxes, development impact fees and various service or user fees (e.g., water, sewer and trash fees) are “restricted” funds that may only be used to pay the reasonable costs of providing City services, offsetting the impacts of new development, or to pay for the limited purposes specified for that special revenue source. While the user fees are in the General Fund, for tracking purposes, the City has separated accounts for these fees, and they remain “restricted” revenues which are not included in the Measure Y allocation of “unrestricted general-purpose revenues”.
To lessen the significant financial impact of Measure Y on the General Fund to maintain the City’s long-term finances supporting local improvement programs and services, staff collaborated with the City Council Measure Y Subcommittee to develop and recommend placing a new measure on the June 2026 Municipal Primary Election ballot to amend and refine Measure Y. While the goal of Measure Y to invest in children and youth remains a top priority for the City, the increase in the General Fund allocation from 2% to 10% creates a substantial burden on the City’s finances. The proposed amendment would instead guarantee a measurable funding amount equal to 10% of the City's local Bradley-Burns sales and use tax revenues, rather than a percentage of unrestricted general fund revenues. This change would more effectively balance the City’s ongoing commitment to children and youth while maintaining fiscal responsibility for essential city improvements, programs, and services for all residents.
The proposed amendment aims to amend and refine Measure Y to create a more sustainable funding model that better balances the City’s finances with its commitment to children and youth programs. It also addresses legal issues to ensure the Measure aligns with the City Charter and can be implemented. Based on the recommendations of the Measure Y Council Subcommittee, staff supports placing a measure on the June 2, 2026, Municipal Primary Election ballot to allow voters the opportunity to consider the proposed Measure Y amendments.
Prepared by:
Maritza Sosa-Nieves, Assistant to the City Manager
Proposed Ballot Measure for June 2026 Primary Municipal Election to Amend and Refine Measure Y