Calistoga midyear budget update: revenues slightly up, adjustments raise anticipated deficit to about $6.4 million

Jesse, the newly introduced budget presenter, briefed the council on midyear adjustments to the fiscal-year 2023–24 budget. Staff reported an overall revenue increase of about $230,000, driven by a roughly $400,000 rise in property-tax receipts that helped offset a sales-tax decrease of about $72,000; transient-occupancy-tax (TOT) revenues were described as trending down by roughly $100,000.

On the expenditure side, staff outlined an increase of about $400,000 for city attorney fees tied to fairgrounds, housing-element and personnel matters, a risk-management adjustment, and formalization of previously anticipated infrastructure appropriations. The presentation also described formalizing a loan to water and a loan to sewer previously approved in concept and $1 million in equipment funding. With these adjustments, staff said the midyear action increases projected obligations and brings the total near a $6.4 million change for the year, but that the city remains within reserve policy limits.

A member of the public asked for a line-item breakdown of the attorney-fee increases; staff answered that a detailed breakdown is available at City Hall and apologized for not having that detail on the screen.

Next steps: staff will provide requested budget detail at City Hall and return any required appropriations for council approval as projects and loans formalize.