Long Beach will begin its fiscal year 2027 budget process next month, and residents will have several opportunities to get involved.

The proposed fiscal year 2027 budget will be reviewed during Budget Oversight Committee meetings, community meetings and department presentations to the City Council before its formal adoption by the council. The City Council must adopt the budget no later than Sept. 15, before the city’s new fiscal year begins on Oct. 1.

Mayor Rex Richardson is anticipated to release the proposed fiscal year 2027 budget on Thursday, July 30, according to a recent city memo. City Manager Tom Modica will formally present the proposed budget to the City Council during a budget hearing on Tuesday, Aug. 4, along with a presentation of the Human Resources Department.

The Tuesday, Aug. 4, council meeting is set to start at 3 p.m. – earlier than regular City Council meetings – in the Civic Chambers.

Throughout this budget process, the city will be facing several long-term financial challenges, including a looming deficit and changing revenue streams. Long Beach adopted a balanced $3.7 billion budget for the 2026 fiscal year, but was still faced with a $60.5 million general fund deficit through the 2031 fiscal year as economic uncertainty across the country grows – with federal funding cuts, a decrease in the city’s oil revenue, rising costs of labor, state budget challenges and more.

As the mayor, councilmembers and city staff discuss the proposed budget, residents will also have opportunities to share their thoughts on how Long Beach’s funds should be allocated.

In January and February, the city held five in-person and one virtual community meeting to offer Long Beach residents an opportunity to provide their policy preferences and community input at an earlier phase of the FY 27 budget development process.

There will be an additional five community budget meetings – including one virtual session and one Saturday meeting – available for residents in August. Last year, the City Council decided to require that community budget meeting feedback results be submitted to the Budget Oversight Committee and City Council no later than two weeks before the proposed budget adoption date, to ensure there is enough time to review and analyze community input, according to the city memo.

“The purpose of these August meetings is to educate the community on what is included in the proposed FY 27 budget,” the city memo said, “report back on how input from the January and February 2026 community budget sessions was used to inform the budget and provide information on how the public can participate in the budget process.”

Here is the schedule of community budget meetings:

Wednesday, Aug. 5, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Zoom
Thursday, Aug. 6, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Charles Lindbergh Middle School, 1022 E. Market St.
Saturday, Aug. 8, from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Silverado Park, 1545 W. 31st St.
Monday, Aug. 10, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Renaissance High School, 235 E. Eighth St.
Thursday, Aug. 13, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Long Beach City College’s Liberal Arts Campus in Room T1200, 4902 E. Carson St.

Interpretation services will be provided at all community budget meetings.

Residents will also have the option to submit comments in writing that city staff will provide to the council, the city memo added, so there will be many different ways to engage in the budget process.

More information about budget meetings is available at longbeach.gov/FY27.