15May
2025
Special City Council Meeting · One key issue

This was a special meeting with one item: a work study on the 2025-26 budget, continued from 6 May when the council ran out of time.

Check this moment · 1:02:13
2.8 hours 1 agenda items 1 located in video 64% attributed to a named speaker
Brief

What happened

Thursday, May 15, 2025

  1. 01

    Nothing was voted on — a work study gives staff direction before the budget is written.

    1:02:38
    Explore this issue
    Related agenda item 1

    Fiscal Year 2025-26 Budget Work Study Session

    Open agenda item →

    What councilmembers said

    Representative transcript excerpts—not inferred positions.

    Valerie Amezcua
    Valerie AmezcuaMayor

    No, and I agree with you, and I wanna generate revenue as well. I just, again, I don't wanna step on our seniors here. So I also wanted to say that thank you for all of the work staff. You know, this is my third year sitting here and doing the budget with the…

    1:34:52
    Johnathan Ryan Hernandez
    Johnathan Ryan HernandezCouncilmember

    NEIGHBORHOOD ON 15TH AND PARTON. WE GET A LOT OF CALLS FOR POLICE AT THAT INTERSECTION. IT HAS ALSO BEEN AN INTERSECTION WHERE RESIDENTS HAVE REACHED OUT REGARDING CONCERNS WITH TRAFFIC COLLISIONS AS WELL AS PEDESTRIAN SAFETY. SO HAVING A BLUE SAFETY LIGHT AT…

    1:21:23
    Jessie Lopez
    Jessie LopezCouncilmember

    yeah um so just lastly i wanted to cover um the last part of what my constituents have submitted committed. There's a lighting request off of 18th Street and Jefferson. They've never had any lights, street lights or any other form of illumination there and…

    2:27:59
    Benjamin Vazquez
    Benjamin VazquezMayor Pro Tem

    GOING TO SPEED. THE SENIORS AT SOUTHWEST SENIOR CENTER ARE NOT GOING TO SPEED. THE TWO CHURCHES IN BACK OF HARDEMARY AND THERE'S A VETNAMESE CHURCH, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO SPEED. BUT THERE'S TONS OF OTHER PEOPLE GOING THROUGH. IT'S NEVER GOING TO HIT 80. BUT YOU…

    1:26:32
  2. 02

    Staff said the shortfall was down to about 1.6 million dollars and that they would not bring the council an unbalanced budget.

    2:07:27
    Explore this issue
    Related agenda item 1

    Fiscal Year 2025-26 Budget Work Study Session

    Open agenda item →

    What councilmembers said

    Representative transcript excerpts—not inferred positions.

    Valerie Amezcua
    Valerie AmezcuaMayor

    No, and I agree with you, and I wanna generate revenue as well. I just, again, I don't wanna step on our seniors here. So I also wanted to say that thank you for all of the work staff. You know, this is my third year sitting here and doing the budget with the…

    1:34:52
    Johnathan Ryan Hernandez
    Johnathan Ryan HernandezCouncilmember

    NEIGHBORHOOD ON 15TH AND PARTON. WE GET A LOT OF CALLS FOR POLICE AT THAT INTERSECTION. IT HAS ALSO BEEN AN INTERSECTION WHERE RESIDENTS HAVE REACHED OUT REGARDING CONCERNS WITH TRAFFIC COLLISIONS AS WELL AS PEDESTRIAN SAFETY. SO HAVING A BLUE SAFETY LIGHT AT…

    1:21:23
    Jessie Lopez
    Jessie LopezCouncilmember

    yeah um so just lastly i wanted to cover um the last part of what my constituents have submitted committed. There's a lighting request off of 18th Street and Jefferson. They've never had any lights, street lights or any other form of illumination there and…

    2:27:59
    Benjamin Vazquez
    Benjamin VazquezMayor Pro Tem

    GOING TO SPEED. THE SENIORS AT SOUTHWEST SENIOR CENTER ARE NOT GOING TO SPEED. THE TWO CHURCHES IN BACK OF HARDEMARY AND THERE'S A VETNAMESE CHURCH, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO SPEED. BUT THERE'S TONS OF OTHER PEOPLE GOING THROUGH. IT'S NEVER GOING TO HIT 80. BUT YOU…

    1:26:32
  3. 03

    Councilmember Lopez objected to increasing the council travel budget by 40,000 dollars, saying this is a moment to be saving.

    1:44:39
    Explore this issue
    Related agenda item 1

    Fiscal Year 2025-26 Budget Work Study Session

    Open agenda item →

    What councilmembers said

    Representative transcript excerpts—not inferred positions.

    Valerie Amezcua
    Valerie AmezcuaMayor

    No, and I agree with you, and I wanna generate revenue as well. I just, again, I don't wanna step on our seniors here. So I also wanted to say that thank you for all of the work staff. You know, this is my third year sitting here and doing the budget with the…

    1:34:52
    Johnathan Ryan Hernandez
    Johnathan Ryan HernandezCouncilmember

    NEIGHBORHOOD ON 15TH AND PARTON. WE GET A LOT OF CALLS FOR POLICE AT THAT INTERSECTION. IT HAS ALSO BEEN AN INTERSECTION WHERE RESIDENTS HAVE REACHED OUT REGARDING CONCERNS WITH TRAFFIC COLLISIONS AS WELL AS PEDESTRIAN SAFETY. SO HAVING A BLUE SAFETY LIGHT AT…

    1:21:23
    Jessie Lopez
    Jessie LopezCouncilmember

    yeah um so just lastly i wanted to cover um the last part of what my constituents have submitted committed. There's a lighting request off of 18th Street and Jefferson. They've never had any lights, street lights or any other form of illumination there and…

    2:27:59
    Benjamin Vazquez
    Benjamin VazquezMayor Pro Tem

    GOING TO SPEED. THE SENIORS AT SOUTHWEST SENIOR CENTER ARE NOT GOING TO SPEED. THE TWO CHURCHES IN BACK OF HARDEMARY AND THERE'S A VETNAMESE CHURCH, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO SPEED. BUT THERE'S TONS OF OTHER PEOPLE GOING THROUGH. IT'S NEVER GOING TO HIT 80. BUT YOU…

    1:26:32
  4. 04

    She also asked what happens to the 61 city staff paid from federal grants if that money is withdrawn.

    1:38:27
    Explore this issue
    Related agenda item 1

    Fiscal Year 2025-26 Budget Work Study Session

    Open agenda item →

    What councilmembers said

    Representative transcript excerpts—not inferred positions.

    Valerie Amezcua
    Valerie AmezcuaMayor

    No, and I agree with you, and I wanna generate revenue as well. I just, again, I don't wanna step on our seniors here. So I also wanted to say that thank you for all of the work staff. You know, this is my third year sitting here and doing the budget with the…

    1:34:52
    Johnathan Ryan Hernandez
    Johnathan Ryan HernandezCouncilmember

    NEIGHBORHOOD ON 15TH AND PARTON. WE GET A LOT OF CALLS FOR POLICE AT THAT INTERSECTION. IT HAS ALSO BEEN AN INTERSECTION WHERE RESIDENTS HAVE REACHED OUT REGARDING CONCERNS WITH TRAFFIC COLLISIONS AS WELL AS PEDESTRIAN SAFETY. SO HAVING A BLUE SAFETY LIGHT AT…

    1:21:23
    Jessie Lopez
    Jessie LopezCouncilmember

    yeah um so just lastly i wanted to cover um the last part of what my constituents have submitted committed. There's a lighting request off of 18th Street and Jefferson. They've never had any lights, street lights or any other form of illumination there and…

    2:27:59
    Benjamin Vazquez
    Benjamin VazquezMayor Pro Tem

    GOING TO SPEED. THE SENIORS AT SOUTHWEST SENIOR CENTER ARE NOT GOING TO SPEED. THE TWO CHURCHES IN BACK OF HARDEMARY AND THERE'S A VETNAMESE CHURCH, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO SPEED. BUT THERE'S TONS OF OTHER PEOPLE GOING THROUGH. IT'S NEVER GOING TO HIT 80. BUT YOU…

    1:26:32
  5. 05

    Public safety was the top issue in the city's own resident survey, and several members asked for cameras, traffic studies and street repairs.

    2:04:37
    Explore this issue
    Related agenda item 1

    Fiscal Year 2025-26 Budget Work Study Session

    Open agenda item →

    What councilmembers said

    Representative transcript excerpts—not inferred positions.

    Valerie Amezcua
    Valerie AmezcuaMayor

    No, and I agree with you, and I wanna generate revenue as well. I just, again, I don't wanna step on our seniors here. So I also wanted to say that thank you for all of the work staff. You know, this is my third year sitting here and doing the budget with the…

    1:34:52
    Johnathan Ryan Hernandez
    Johnathan Ryan HernandezCouncilmember

    NEIGHBORHOOD ON 15TH AND PARTON. WE GET A LOT OF CALLS FOR POLICE AT THAT INTERSECTION. IT HAS ALSO BEEN AN INTERSECTION WHERE RESIDENTS HAVE REACHED OUT REGARDING CONCERNS WITH TRAFFIC COLLISIONS AS WELL AS PEDESTRIAN SAFETY. SO HAVING A BLUE SAFETY LIGHT AT…

    1:21:23
    Jessie Lopez
    Jessie LopezCouncilmember

    yeah um so just lastly i wanted to cover um the last part of what my constituents have submitted committed. There's a lighting request off of 18th Street and Jefferson. They've never had any lights, street lights or any other form of illumination there and…

    2:27:59
    Benjamin Vazquez
    Benjamin VazquezMayor Pro Tem

    GOING TO SPEED. THE SENIORS AT SOUTHWEST SENIOR CENTER ARE NOT GOING TO SPEED. THE TWO CHURCHES IN BACK OF HARDEMARY AND THERE'S A VETNAMESE CHURCH, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO SPEED. BUT THERE'S TONS OF OTHER PEOPLE GOING THROUGH. IT'S NEVER GOING TO HIT 80. BUT YOU…

    1:26:32
  6. 06

    The city manager said the city is planning for the sales tax to sunset in three to four years.

    2:36:33
    Explore this issue
    Related agenda item 1

    Fiscal Year 2025-26 Budget Work Study Session

    Open agenda item →

    What councilmembers said

    Representative transcript excerpts—not inferred positions.

    Valerie Amezcua
    Valerie AmezcuaMayor

    No, and I agree with you, and I wanna generate revenue as well. I just, again, I don't wanna step on our seniors here. So I also wanted to say that thank you for all of the work staff. You know, this is my third year sitting here and doing the budget with the…

    1:34:52
    Johnathan Ryan Hernandez
    Johnathan Ryan HernandezCouncilmember

    NEIGHBORHOOD ON 15TH AND PARTON. WE GET A LOT OF CALLS FOR POLICE AT THAT INTERSECTION. IT HAS ALSO BEEN AN INTERSECTION WHERE RESIDENTS HAVE REACHED OUT REGARDING CONCERNS WITH TRAFFIC COLLISIONS AS WELL AS PEDESTRIAN SAFETY. SO HAVING A BLUE SAFETY LIGHT AT…

    1:21:23
    Jessie Lopez
    Jessie LopezCouncilmember

    yeah um so just lastly i wanted to cover um the last part of what my constituents have submitted committed. There's a lighting request off of 18th Street and Jefferson. They've never had any lights, street lights or any other form of illumination there and…

    2:27:59
    Benjamin Vazquez
    Benjamin VazquezMayor Pro Tem

    GOING TO SPEED. THE SENIORS AT SOUTHWEST SENIOR CENTER ARE NOT GOING TO SPEED. THE TWO CHURCHES IN BACK OF HARDEMARY AND THERE'S A VETNAMESE CHURCH, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO SPEED. BUT THERE'S TONS OF OTHER PEOPLE GOING THROUGH. IT'S NEVER GOING TO HIT 80. BUT YOU…

    1:26:32
  7. 07

    The council closed the meeting in memory of Armando Morales, a 14-year-old Santa Ana High School student killed in the city.

    2:39:36
    Explore this issue
    Related agenda item 1

    Fiscal Year 2025-26 Budget Work Study Session

    Open agenda item →

    What councilmembers said

    Representative transcript excerpts—not inferred positions.

    Valerie Amezcua
    Valerie AmezcuaMayor

    No, and I agree with you, and I wanna generate revenue as well. I just, again, I don't wanna step on our seniors here. So I also wanted to say that thank you for all of the work staff. You know, this is my third year sitting here and doing the budget with the…

    1:34:52
    Johnathan Ryan Hernandez
    Johnathan Ryan HernandezCouncilmember

    NEIGHBORHOOD ON 15TH AND PARTON. WE GET A LOT OF CALLS FOR POLICE AT THAT INTERSECTION. IT HAS ALSO BEEN AN INTERSECTION WHERE RESIDENTS HAVE REACHED OUT REGARDING CONCERNS WITH TRAFFIC COLLISIONS AS WELL AS PEDESTRIAN SAFETY. SO HAVING A BLUE SAFETY LIGHT AT…

    1:21:23
    Jessie Lopez
    Jessie LopezCouncilmember

    yeah um so just lastly i wanted to cover um the last part of what my constituents have submitted committed. There's a lighting request off of 18th Street and Jefferson. They've never had any lights, street lights or any other form of illumination there and…

    2:27:59
    Benjamin Vazquez
    Benjamin VazquezMayor Pro Tem

    GOING TO SPEED. THE SENIORS AT SOUTHWEST SENIOR CENTER ARE NOT GOING TO SPEED. THE TWO CHURCHES IN BACK OF HARDEMARY AND THERE'S A VETNAMESE CHURCH, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO SPEED. BUT THERE'S TONS OF OTHER PEOPLE GOING THROUGH. IT'S NEVER GOING TO HIT 80. BUT YOU…

    1:26:32
How this brief was made

The current summaries were prepared during an in-session review of the transcripts. This prototype shows only sentences with a timestamp citation. 0 uncited sentences were withheld from this page.

Agenda

Every item

1 items in agenda order

1
Work Study Session

Fiscal Year 2025-26 Budget Work Study Session

1:02:33
  • Staff presented a follow-up to the early budget direction given on 18 March, with the draft budget posted publicly.1:02:38
  • Staff put the remaining shortfall at about 1.6 million dollars and said the budget was still changing.2:07:27
  • Councilmember Lopez said she was not supportive of adding 40,000 dollars for council travel while the city is looking for savings everywhere.1:44:39
  • She asked staff to set out the position of 61 employees paid through federal grants, and whether a fund could cushion them if that money disappears.1:38:27
  • The city manager said the city receives between 68 and 100 million dollars in federal grant allocations and doubted a fund could guarantee those jobs.1:39:40
  • Councilmember Bacerra questioned why the city still staffs parking meters, saying it needs kerbside charging rather than the meters themselves.2:07:50
  • Councilmember Phan asked what has already been spent on the historic Cypress fire station; staff said about 450,000 dollars of a million allocated for study and plans.2:26:11
  • She noted the budget carries 5.7 million dollars of one-time funding, including four million for that fire station.2:26:56
  • The mayor asked for quarterly reports on renting out senior centres for events, saying she wants revenue but does not want to displace seniors.1:34:01
  • She asked how many officers staff the homeless outreach teams; staff said about ten officers across the teams, some riding with social workers.2:33:15
  • Councilmember Hernandez asked for traffic studies in the Washington Square and Willard neighbourhoods.1:51:03
  • Mayor Pro Tem Vazquez said streets in Pacific Park are crumbling and asked they be moved up the list.1:56:00
  • The city manager said the city is planning for the sunset of the sales tax in three to four years.2:36:33
  • Budget adoption was set for 17 June.2:43:51
Official agendaSupplied summaryClerk timestampFinance and Management Services
Official recommendation
  1. Discuss and provide direction to staff
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