NewsPalo Alto Online
5/28/2026, 4:41:29 PM
County staff proposed in the 2026-27 budget cutting four out of five full time employees dedicated to suicide prevention in an attempt to save money.
Budget priorities
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Weekly summary for Palo Alto
May 4, 2026 to May 10, 2026 • Updated May 7, 2026
This week in Palo Alto, the City Council continues to grapple with a structural fiscal crisis, as a recent long-range financial forecast projects budget deficits every year through 2032. This ongoing shortfall is shaping many policy decisions and budget priorities for the city.
Key developments include:
- An audit revealed that police overtime expenses have significantly exceeded budget estimates, impacting investigations and officer morale.
- The proposed city budget includes reductions in crossing guard positions and increases in recreation fees as part of cost-saving measures.
- County-level federal funding cuts are adding pressure on local services, though these are primarily a regional context for Palo Alto’s budget challenges.
What to watch: The City Council’s upcoming budget discussions will be critical in addressing these deficits and balancing service reductions with community needs.
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Agenda item: PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS : This portion of the agenda is reserved for persons desiring to address the Committee on any matter not on the agenda.. Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) Board of Directors recently discussed this issue.
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NewsSan José Spotlight
5/26/2026, 7:00:33 PM
Despite ongoing budget challenges, Palo Alto is preparing to restore some of the funding it was planning to cut from the city’s crossing guard program and ask the school district to help pay for the popular service, acc…
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Related agenda items
This list highlights the strongest recent agenda items where this cause is showing up in formal meeting business.
Board of Supervisors — Public Safety & Justice Committee
2026-04-09
4: Implementation Committee receival of background on the history and development of the 2013 Technical Advisory Committee Memorandum of Agreement from staff
View older agenda items (7)
San Mateo County Board of Supervisors
2026-02-10
29.: Measure K: Adopt a resolution authorizing a waiver of the Request for Proposals (RFP) process and approving the execution of an agreement with San Mateo County Office of Education for the term July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, for a total obligation amount not to exceed $1,520,418 to provide services in support of The Big Lift program
San Mateo County Board of Supervisors
2026-02-10
10.: Measure K: Adopt a resolution authorizing a one-time grant of district-discretionary Measure K funds, not to exceed $27,900, to First 5 San Mateo County to conduct additional spending data analysis for the Baby Bonus Pilot Program, and authorizing the County Executive, or designee, to execute the grant agreement
San Mateo County Board of Supervisors
2026-02-10
37.: Adopt a resolution authorizing the Sheriff or Sheriff’s designee to execute amendments to interagency agreements with other public agencies in amounts that do not exceed $500,000 each, utilizing solely the $5,857,265 of funding from the FY 2024 Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) grant, for the purpose of reimbursing those agencies for the cost of personnel assigned to the Northern California Regional Intelligence Center
San Mateo County Board of Supervisors
2026-02-10
41.: Adopt a resolution authorizing an intergovernmental agreement with San Mateo Resource Conservation District (RCD) to implement compost delivery, application, and related field and record keeping activities under the San Mateo County Compost for Climate Solutions Program, for the term of February 10, 2026 through December 31, 2028, in an amount not to exceed $2,500,000, and approving a waiver of the competitive solicitation process
San Mateo County Board of Supervisors
2026-02-10
9.: Adopt a resolution: A) Approving the Workforce Entry & Economic Growth Initiative; and B) Authorizing the County Executive to allocate up to $2,000,000 to the Initiative; and C) Authorizing the County Executive, or designee, to issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) to select a qualified organization to administer the program and, in consultation with the County Attorney, to negotiate and execute an agreement with the selected organization
San Mateo County Board of Supervisors
2026-02-10
25.: Adopt a resolution authorizing: A) Acceptance of Home Safe funding from the Budget Act of 2025 through California Department of Social Services for the Home Safe Program in the amount of $1,023,027, and B) An agreement with Institute on Aging for Home Safe program services, for the term of January 1, 2026 through August 31, 2027, in an amount not to exceed $650,000
San Mateo County Board of Supervisors
2026-02-10
31.: Adopt a resolution authorizing modification to the rules and regulations of the General Assistance Program by establishing time limits of six (6) months of aid in a twelve (12) month period for General Assistance (GA) recipients who are determined employable
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Source • 2026-05-28
Source • 2026-05-26
Source • 2026-05-21
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Tracked issues on this cause
Budget Deficits — An Albatross Around the City's Neck • Featured
active
Palo Alto is facing a structural fiscal crisis that is constraining nearly every policy decision. A long-range financial forecast presented to the City Council shows budget deficits every fiscal year through 2032, larger…
Federal Funding Threats to County Services • Featured
active
The county is confronting $70 million in anticipated lost federal funding it will need to backfill, with the Office of Supportive Housing facing the largest losses of $29 million. Federal Medi-Cal cuts are driving multip…