The Poway City Council unanimously approved a nearly $123 million operating budget for the 2024-25 fiscal year at the June 18 council meeting. The annual budget provides the financial mechanism to carry out the City’s work plan and provide services to residents.
“Poway has done an excellent job planning for today, planning for the future, and planning for the what-ifs,” Temporary Finance Manager Tim McDermott observed in his budget overview.
He said the city has realized benefits from key city council decisions in recent years, including the ambulance fee update, pension obligations bonds issuance, five-year agreement with the San Diego County Sheriff’s department for law enforcement services, and a history of having the highest reserve policy of any city in San Diego County.
Chris Pikus served as chair of the Budget Review Committee, which consists of five residents who review and provide guidance on the proposed budget before it goes before council.
“Poway is an incredibly well-run city,” Pikus said. “The finances are fiscally conservative with a strong emphasis on the basics. Staff are careful stewards of the taxpayer’s money, as if it was their own.”
Included in the annual budget was a $1.7 million addition to scheduled staff increases. The salary adjustments will bring positions to the median within the San Diego market of comparable cities/positions.
“It is critical that we offer a package to employees that is competitive with what they can find elsewhere,” Mayor Steve Vaus said in support of the adjustment. “It’s a $1.7 million dollar line item, but it’s going to pay in spades because we will not have to go through the recruiting and training that we would otherwise have to go through.”
Deputy Mayor Caylin Frank praised community enhancements highlighted in next year’s budget.
“We’re not just continuing to do what we’ve always done in Poway; we’re looking at ways to do better, offer more to our residents and keep being the great city that we are,” she said.
Councilmember Peter De Hoff addressed the importance of the capital improvement projects, which improve critical infrastructure.
“Some of these things that don’t have bright lights on them can actually have significant impacts on our fiscal health,” he said.
In the budget overview, McDermott said that Poway is one of only four cities in the county that have neither raised the base sales tax percent in their city nor are considering a base sales tax percent increase at the next General election. Councilmember Brian Pepin reflected on the past actions that have led to Poway being able to maintain a balanced budget without seeking out tax increases saying:
“I’m so thankful that we’ve had great leadership that has set us up for budgets like this.”
It was the first time through the budget adoption process for Councilmember Anita Edmondson. She said it was a great reminder that being fiscally responsible is not just about cutting costs and pinching pennies.
“It’s about being smart with the dollars that we have, and investing in the projects and programs and the people that make Poway a great place to live.”