FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) \u2014\u00a0Fresno City leaders have approved a historic budget of $2.56 billion for the city\u2019s 2027 fiscal year.<\/p>\n
Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer spoke before the council before the unanimous vote, making his final pitch for Fresno\u2019s largest-ever budget.<\/p>\n
He said the city managed to balance the spending plan while facing a $34.5 million shortfall without resorting to layoffs.<\/p>\n
The mayor addressed nearly 100 motions made by council members for the proposed budget.<\/p>\n
One of those allocates an additional $650,000 in unspent funds for Advanced Peace, a community-based program created to reduce gun violence.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s on top of $300,000 already included and other funding sources, bringing the total allocation for Advanced Peace to more than $1 million over the next two fiscal years.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis level of funding will allow for three additional change agents to be hired and actually rehired by them, by Advanced Peace, as well as non-personnel expenses, which averages about $200,000 per year,\u201d Dyer said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is my hope that the County of Fresno and district attorney\u2019s office also see Advanced Peace as worth the investment in preventing shootings that they then later have to prosecute,\u201d says Fresno Councilmember Miguel Arias.<\/p>\n
A major concern for the city is future funding for local non-profits facing cuts from the federal and state levels.<\/p>\n
Going forward, the mayor and council are calling on the county to do more.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe try to meet as many of the needs as we possibly can, but the simple fact is we can\u2019t do it all,\u201d Dyer said. \u201cWe want to do our part but can\u2019t do it all, so we\u2019re going to be continuing to call upon our county partners across the street to step up and help us fund many of these non-profits.\u201d<\/p>\n
The city ensured funding for the eviction protection program.<\/p>\n
Available funding was also increased to $825,000 for non-profit spay and neuter services to address Fresno\u2019s pet overpopulation problem.<\/p>\n
One-third of motions were not approved.<\/p>\n
Listen to the report by KMJ\u2019s Liz Kern.<\/p>\n