Sonora, CA — The Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors approved a final 356 million budget for the 2026-27 Fiscal Year.
After back-and-forth discussion and a failed counterproposal, the final vote was 5-0.
General Revenues are up by 2.93% this year. While some areas, like sales tax revenue, are anticipated to decline by a fraction of a percentage, other areas, like Transient Occupancy Tax revenue (paid on lodging), are anticipated to grow by 9.5%. There have also been some recent cuts and reductions in county spending.
The board decided how to allocate one-time extra dollars. A majority, around $3.7-million, will go toward road improvements. In addition, some money is going into reserves, and for things like renovating county buildings, and making improvements at parks like Standard.
A big issue of contention was the recently closed Station 56 Mono Vista Fire Station. District Two Supervisor Ryan Campbell advocated for around $2.1 million in contingencies be used to reopen and staff the facility (it was closed with a 3-2 vote last year). He offered a counter motion that was voted down, 2-3.
District Three Supervisor Anaiah Kirk counted, “I think what a lot of people aren’t used to is the idea of using extra monies for one-time expenses, and not dumping it into things that are going to be ongoing. When we talk about Station 56, it is an ongoing expense. Which is why I recommended months ago, if we are going to continue to fund it, it needs to be through reductions to the rest of the (county) organization so that it can be funded in perpetuity. That was not supported.”
Supervisor Campbell responded, “It just concerns me to see the rewriting of history and pretending like the people who voted to close the fire station weren’t really the ones against keeping it open, and that they were the ones trying to save it. It’s not true. Look at who voted routinely to keep the fire station open. That was me and Supervisor Brandon.”
Board Chair Steve Griefer added that the board’s policy is not to use these types of funds for recurring expenditures, and noted that roads are the number one concern they hear about in the community.
Mono Vista ended up being a main wedge that led to the initial split vote on the countermeasure. Click here to find the budget summary presented to the board at Tuesday’s meeting.
