CITY OF POMONA
COUNCIL REPORT
February 23, 2026
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 William Priest, Assistant City Attorney
SUBJECT: ADOPT A RESOLUTION TO ADD MEASURE INITIATIVE: “KIDS FIRST FUNDING AMENDMENT” ON THE STATEWIDE PRIMARY ELECTION BALLOT TO AMEND THE POMONA FUND FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH ACT (MEASURE “Y”), TO BE HELD ON TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2026 ______________________________________________________________________________ RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Council adopt the following resolution (Attachment No. 1):
RESOLUTION NO. 2026-22 - A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF POMONA, CALIFORNIA, SUBMITTING TO THE QUALIFIED VOTERS OF THE CITY OF POMONA A BALLOT MEASURE REPEALING CHAPTER XVIII OF THE POMONA CITY CHARTER AND ADDING CHAPTER 3 TO THE POMONA MUNICIPAL CODE, TO AMEND THE POMONA FUND FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH ACT (MEASURE “Y”), AT THE MUNICIPAL PRIMARY ELECTION TO BE HELD ON TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2026; TO BE CONSOLIDATED WITH THE STATEWIDE PRIMARY ELECTION TO BE HELD JUNE 2, 2026; DIRECTING THE CITY ATTORNEY TO PREPARE AN IMPARTIAL ANALYSIS OF THE PROPOSED MEASURE AND PROVIDING FOR THE FILING OF PRIMARY AND REBUTTAL ARGUMENTS AND SETTING RULES FOR THE FILING OF WRITTEN ARGUMENTS REGARDING THE PROPOSED MEASURE.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This action would place a measure on the June 2, 2026 Municipal Primary Election ballot to amend Measure Y. The proposed amendment, provisionally designated “Measure Z: Kids First Funding Amendment,” is intended to stabilize funding levels, preserve the City’s fiscal stability, clarify legal requirements, and ensure continued investment in Pomona’s children and youth. Importantly, the proposed measure maintains all key provisions of Measure Y and ensures that the Fund’s dedicated revenue sources remain protected, with any changes to these key elements requiring approval by a vote of Pomona residents.
Measure Y, the “Pomona Kids First Initiative,” established the Pomona Children and Youth Fund and the Department of Children and Youth. While the City remains committed to these priorities, the escalating General Fund allocation requirements mandated by Measure Y have created an unstable funding structure that increasingly strains the City’s ability to maintain essential community services and municipal infrastructure.
SB1439/GOVERNMENT CODE §84308 APPLICABILITY:
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FISCAL IMPACT
Following voter approval of Measure Y in November 2024, the City has transferred General Fund dollars to the Children & Youth Fund as required by the charter amendment in Fiscal Year (FY) 2024-25 and in FY 2025-26, which to date, has already set aside over $9M to the Children and Youth Fund. With the preparation of the FY 2026-27 preliminary budget currently underway, the Measure Y contribution for the upcoming FY 2026-27 will be equal to an amount of 6% of the City’s unrestricted General Fund revenues. The transfers reduced available General Fund revenues and resulted in a FY 2025-26 budget deficit of $5.5M, which included multiple General Fund Department reductions, including the defunding of several vacant full-time City positions. Long-term financial forecasts indicate that the contribution rate established by Measure Y creates an unsustainable structural imbalance. The funding mechanism proposed by the measure, provisionally designated “Measure Z,” would provide long-term funding for categories defined by Measure Y through a more sustainable financial model.
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.
On December 1, 2025, the City Council directed staff to prepare a ballot measure for placement on the June 2, 2026 Municipal Primary Election ballot to amend and refine Measure Y as recommended by the Council Measure Y Subcommittee.
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 to 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. To date, the City has already set aside over $9M to the Children and Youth Fund.
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 allocate an 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 funding for 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 and policy issues to ensure the Measure aligns with the City Charter and can be implemented. Importantly, the amendment maintains all key provisions of Measure Y and ensures that the Fund’s dedicated revenue sources remain protected, with any changes to these key elements requiring approval by a majority of Pomona voters at a regular or special municipal election. The City Council may make changes to other parts of the measure through an official Council ordinance.
The proposed Measure also adds provisions to increase transparency of the City’s direct youth programming expenditures. These provisions require the Department of Children and Youth to provide the Accountability Board and the community with an annual review of at least of $6 million in youth programming expenditures, with their input incorporated into the City Budget Study Session for Council consideration.
As such, the proposed ballot measure is attached (Attachment No. 1) for Council’s consideration and approval.
Prepared by:
Maritza Sosa-Nieves, Assistant to the City Manager
William Priest, Assistant City Attorney
Adopt a Resolution to add Measure Initiative: “Kids First Funding Amendment” on the Municipal Primary Election Ballot