The Cupertino City Council had a preliminary discussion Jan. 13 on how to cover the cost, directing city staff to research two options: a variety of tax increases, some of which would require voter approval, or reduced services. Councilmembers conceded getting residents to approve a tax increase would be an uphill battle.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe simply can\u2019t put something on the ballot without having proof to the public that this is really necessary,\u201d\u00a0 Mayor Kitty Moore said at the meeting.<\/p>\n
Kapoor said Cupertino is expecting a $4.5 million budget surplus<\/a> in fiscal year 2026-27. That follows an earlier $30 million loss, largely due to a depletion of sales tax revenue from tech giant Apple during prior years. The city credited the reversal to an array of cost-cutting measures.<\/p>\n While the projected surplus may help offset some of the increased cost with the sheriff\u2019s contract, Kapoor said it only offers one-time relief.<\/p>\n \u201cThe more significant concern is that any substantial and ongoing increase to the contract would result in a structural deficit for the city, a fiscal imbalance that is not sustainable in the long term without new (or) increased revenue sources or a decrease to service levels,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n The council will continue its public deliberation on the sheriff\u2019s contract and the resulting budget squeeze at its Feb. 19 meeting.<\/p>\n Santa Clara County is tackling financial challenges in the upcoming fiscal year due to a reduction in state and federal funding<\/a>. The sheriff\u2019s budget for fiscal year 2025-26 was roughly $589 million.<\/p>\n \u201cGiven the county\u2019s current budget, our goal is to recover the full cost (of serving the West Valley cities) while continuing to provide high-quality, cost-effective public safety,\u201d\u00a0 Sgt. Brooks Jarosz, spokesperson for the sheriff\u2019s office, told San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight. \u201cSince our last contract, policing in California has changed significantly.\u201d<\/p>\n Jarosz said state mandates have expanded training requirements and technology that includes body-worn cameras, while salaries and benefits have also increased.<\/p>\n The sheriff\u2019s West Valley Patrol Division<\/a> is located in Cupertino and has a staff of 83 deputies and seven support personnel.<\/p>\n The situation is now getting attention from the county Board of Supervisors.<\/p>\n \u201cAs much as I favor cost recovery, trying to make up the cost all at once is difficult for any city,\u201d District 5 Supervisor Margaret Abe-Koga, whose district covers the three cities, told San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight. \u201cI am talking to staff about exploring the ability to phase in the increases so that cities can manage their budgets predictably.\u201d<\/p>\n Cupertino, Saratoga and Los Altos Hills formed an ad hoc committee earlier this month, consisting of each municipality\u2019s mayor and city manager, to plan how to negotiate with the county on reducing the financial impact. Saratoga is spending $9 million a year for the sheriff and will face\u00a0a 36% increase. Los Altos Hills is spending $2.8 million for public safety with a\u00a030% increase set to kick in.<\/p>\n \u201cThe proposed increase comes at a time when the city of Saratoga is already projecting future budget constraints, which makes additional cost pressures particularly challenging,\u201d Saratoga Mayor Chuck Page told San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight. \u00a0\u201cWhile no specific actions have been determined, significant increases in ongoing expenses limit the city\u2019s fiscal flexibility and may require difficult budgetary decisions.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"Keep](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1769027829_854_interactive-184632509590.png\")
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