City Hall
835 East 14th Street
San Leandro, California
City of San Leandro
Legislation Details (With Text)
File #: 25-555 Version: 1 Name: Potential November 2026 Revenue Measure Considerations
Type: Staff Report Status: Agenda Ready
In control: City Council
On agenda: 12/1/2025 Final action:
Enactment date: Enactment #:
Title: Adopt a Motion Directing Staff to Either: A) Continue to Explore Potential Revenue Measures That Could Appear on the November 2026 Ballot including a Consulting Services Agreement With Clifford Moss for Outreach and Survey Work to Consider Feasibility; or B) to Cease All Efforts Associated With Placing a Revenue Measure on the November 2026 Ballot
Indexes:
Code sections:
Attachments: 1. A - Preliminary General Fund Unaudited Year End Result, 2. B - Presentation Date Ver. Action By Action Result
12/1/2025 1 City Council
Adopt a Motion Directing Staff to Either: A) Continue to Explore Potential Revenue Measures That Could Appear on the November 2026 Ballot including a Consulting Services Agreement With Clifford Moss for Outreach and Survey Work to Consider Feasibility; or B) to Cease All Efforts Associated With Placing a Revenue Measure on the November 2026 Ballot
SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS
This report provides information on a potential survey and to study community support and feasibility of potential revenue measures on the November 3, 2026 ballot. Staff recommend Council decide whether to direct staff to proceed in the effort to explore potential revenue measures that could appear on the November 2026 ballot including a consulting services agreement with Clifford Moss for outreach and survey work to consider feasibility, or to cease staff efforts and the use of additional resources.
BACKGROUND
At the February 1, 2025 Special Meeting and Annual City Council Planning Session, there was support from the Council to explore a potential City sponsored revenue measure to assist in creating a sustainable fiscal future for the City and potentially fund vital infrastructure projects.
During the FY 2026-2027 Biennial Budget process a proposal was made by staff to the City Council to appropriate approximately $500,000 in the General Fund to support expenditures related to engaging consultants to conduct feasibility survey(s), and outreach and research work surrounding the viability of placing potential revenue measures on the November 2026 ballot. At that time, Council expressed concern about adding additional expenditures to a General Fund budget that was projecting a use of reserves to balance and asked staff to return when a clearer picture of the General City of San Leandro Page 1 of 2 Printed on 12/2/2025
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File #: 25-555, Version: 1
Fund balance at the close of FY 2025.
DISCUSSION
Preliminary unaudited numbers indicate that the City did not end the year with a surplus in the General Fund, but rather a use of General Fund reserves. The City estimates finishing FY 2025 with a projected use of approximately $15 million of General Fund reserves, which includes carryovers totaling just over $9.1 million. While this is significantly less than the budgeted use of nearly $21 million in reserves when the FY 2025 budget was adopted, it is still expending more funds than projected revenues received, thereby tapping into General Fund reserves during a time when the City projects a multi-year budget deficit. Additional summarized information can be seen in Attachment A.
Prior to having these year-end estimates, staff sought and received a proposal for the work described above to poll the San Leandro community to gather input and gauge support for a potential revenue measure on the November 2026 ballot. This work would include a survey similar to those completed by the City when assessing feasibility of ballot measures in previous years.
Staff seeks direction from Council as to whether it should continue efforts to identify potential options for Council to consider and if Council would like to direct staff to engage Clifford Moss to complete the survey to inform the Council on feasibility relating to a potential revenue measure on the November 2026 ballot.
Fiscal Impacts
Should Council direct staff to proceed with the efforts to explore placement of potential revenue measures on the November 2026 ballot, there are sufficient funds available under an existing purchase order and contract with Clifford Moss to fund the $92,000 request.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A - Preliminary General Fund Unaudited Year End Results Attachment B - Presentation
PREPARED BY Dustin Claussen, Deputy City Manager
Nicole Gonzales, Finance Director
City of San Leandro Page 2 of 2 Printed on 12/2/2025
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Attachment A
A B C
1 GENERAL FUND
2 3
Amended
Budget
Unaudited Financial
Subtotals
4 5 Beginning Fund Balance $ 75,454 $ 75,454
6 7 Total Revenues 143,404 147,724
8 9 Total Expenditures & Transfers 164,126 153,600
10 11 Net/(Use of) Fund Balance $ (20,722) $ (5,876) *
12 13 Ending Fund Balance $ 54,733 $ 69,578
* This amount does not include $9,125 of P.O. encumberance and carryovers of previously authorized budget appropriations.
Fiscal Year ended
June 30, 2025
City of San Leandro
Preliminary Financial Report (unaudited)
June 30, 2025
($ in Thousands)
Exploring Potential Revenue
Measures
City Council meeting
December 1, 2025
1 PREVIOUS COUNCIL DIRECTION
February 1, 2025
• At the Special Meeting and Annual Council Planning Session, the Council directed staff to explore potential revenue measures on the November 2026 ballot.
June 2025 – FY 2026-27 Budget Process
• Staff proposed a General Fund allocation of $500k to further explore viability should a measure be placed on the November 2026 ballot by Council. • Request not included in adopted budget; however, Council directed staff to return to discuss once preliminary year-end fund balance estimates were available for FY 2025.
July 14, 2025
• Council supports plan for staff to consider revenue measure to fund City infrastructure needs
December 1, 2025 2
PRELIMINARY FY 2025
GENERAL FUND RESULTS
December 1, 2025 3
POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS
• Provide Community Information
• Distribute Annual Report
• Community Listening Sessions
Community Outreach: ($20,000)
• Determine viability
• Determine feasibility levels
• Community prioritization of us of funds
• Measure type
Survey: ($92,000)
December 1, 2025 4
Type of Election Cost Per Voter* Est. Local Cost*
Countywide Consolidated
General
$5 - $7 up to ~$364K**
5 ESTIMATED ELECTION & PROJECT COSTS
*Based on approximately 52,000 total registered San Leandro voters **Excludes ballot translation costs
Other Anticipated Costs of a Potential Measure^
Public Affairs Consultant/Public Opinion Surveyexploration phase (Jan-Feb) $92,000 Community Outreach prior to survey (Dec-Jan) $20,000
Public Affairs/Public Outreach Consultant (Mar–Oct) $82,500 Informational Mailers, including postage (Mar-Oct) $71,500 Online Information Provision (Mar-Oct) $55,500
Estimated Costs $321,500
^Costs not in bold are estimated and may vary based on market. Should Council place a measure on the November 2026 ballot staff may return to request funds detailed above.
PREVIOUS TIMELINE VS. CURRENT PLAN
December 1, 2025 6
COUNCIL DIRECTION SOUGHT
Minute Order
Adopt a Motion Directing Staff to Either:
A) Continue to Explore Potential Revenue Measures That Could Appear on the November 2026 Ballot including a Consulting Services Agreement With Clifford Moss for Outreach and Survey Work to Consider Feasibility:
OR
B) To Cease All Efforts Associated With Placing a Revenue Measure on the November 2026 Ballot.
December 1, 2025 7
COUNCIL QUESTIONS
& DISCUSSION
December 1, 2025 8