Members of the Oakdale City Council voted 5-0 on Monday, June 16 to approve the city’s Preliminary Budget for Fiscal Year 2025–2026, marking the first step in the city’s structured annual budget cycle.

The approved preliminary budget projects General Fund revenues of $13,816,010 – a figure that does not include Measure H or Cannabis Fund revenues.

General Fund expenditures are projected at $17,773,994, with public safety once again comprising the largest portion of the budget.

The Oakdale Police Department is budgeted at $7.3 million, and the Fire Department at $5 million.

The General Fund is expected to close the fiscal year with a $7,109,383 balance, maintaining the City Council’s policy of a 40 percent reserve.

“This budget is built on updated projections, prior year trends, and departmental requests,” Interim City Manager Jerry Ramar noted in the staff report. “It continues to support essential services while preserving financial stability.”

Oakdale’s budget consists of more than 80 individual fund accounts, including restricted enterprise funds such as the Water and Sewer Funds, which can only be used for specific operations.

Key enterprise fund highlights include:

Water Fund (645): Revenues of $6,035,000; expenditures of $4,217,493; and a projected ending balance of $1,586,577.

Sewer Fund (622): Revenues of $7,185,000; expenditures of $6,452,619; and an ending balance of $1,373,746.

Measure H, Oakdale’s half-cent sales tax measure approved in 2019 and in effect through March 2031, remains a major funding source for public safety and community services. The city anticipates $2,755,200 in Measure H revenues for the coming year, all of which will be transferred to support key city functions, including:

Police Services: $1,638,253 (59.49 percent)

Fire Department: $949,753 (34.49 percent)

Street Lighting and Traffic Signals: $75,000 (2.72 percent)

Street Sweeping: $30,000 (1.09 percent)

Senior Programs: $30,000 (1.09 percent)

Community Center: $30,994 (1.13 percent)

The Cannabis Fund (114) is projected to end the fiscal year with a balance of $185,323.

The budget also continues to support long-term capital improvements, including infrastructure and street maintenance, funded through sources such as SB1 and Measure L.

The Council is expected to consider the Final Budget in October or November, with a mid-year review scheduled for early 2026 to incorporate necessary updates.