BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) Bakersfield city leaders approved a new budget Wednesday after weeks of public workshops and debate over spending priorities and potential add-ons.
At Wednesday’s Bakersfield City Council meeting, officials discussed the fiscal year 2026-27 budget.
City Manager Christian Clegg noted the city had already held several budget workshops, saying, “Again, as a quick reminder, we have had multiple workshops on our budget this year. We actually had our first workshop in March of this year.”
Bakersfield City Council reviews 2026-27 budget, one Councilman votes no (KBAK/KBFX)
Ward 1 Councilman Eric Arias said the process required difficult choices but supported the plan.
“I think generally speaking this is a well-balanced budget,” Arias said.
Council members also discussed whether to include additional items such as spay and neuter services, fire rescue units, and tree planting and urban canopy expansion.
Clegg recommended that if the council designates some of those items, funding could come from a contingency fund of just under $5 million.
“And so, my recommendation would be that if you’re going to designate a couple of these items, that it comes from that contingency of just less than five million dollars,” Clegg said.
Bakersfield City Council reviews 2026-27 budget, one Councilman votes no (KBAK/KBFX)
The council ultimately passed the budget on a 5-1 vote.
The spending plan is budgeted for more than $926 million, an almost 9% increase from last year’s budget.
Ward 3 Councilman Ken Weir cast the lone vote against the budget, arguing the city should cut costs rather than increase spending.
Bakersfield City Council reviews 2026-27 budget, one Councilman votes no (KBAK/KBFX)
“And there’s no way that we should be spending money to come up with a billion-dollar budget,” Weir said. He added, “That’s unfathomable. There’s no way that we can survive with that kind of spending.”