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FY 2025/2026 Budget Dashboard
Town of Atherton
Fiscal Year 2025–2026 · Operating & Capital Improvement Budget Dashboard
Adopted Budget | Fiscal Year July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026
ACM/Finance Director: Robert Barron III
80 Fair Oaks Lane, Atherton CA 94027
ACM/Finance Director: Robert Barron III
80 Fair Oaks Lane, Atherton CA 94027
City Manager's Summary
For FY 2025/26, General Fund revenues are projected at $24,712,266 and General Fund expenditures at $22,134,254, reflecting a single-year operating surplus of $2,578,012 before below-the-line ERAF and transfer items. The projected year-end positive fund balance is $9,572,799. Property taxes continue to be the dominant revenue source at 70% of General Fund revenues. The Town maintains a 30% reserve requirement ($6.64M) with unallocated reserves of $2.93M. The Capital Improvement Program totals $7,555,000 across drainage, transportation, and parks and facilities projects.
General Fund Revenues
$24.71M
+$1.13M vs FY24/25 projected
General Fund Expenditures
$22.13M
Operating surplus of $2.58M
CIP Appropriations
$7.56M
10 programs & projects funded
Projected Fund Balance
$9.57M
–$3.54M year-over-year
General Fund Revenues
$24,712,266
Revenue Composition
Revenue Categories — FY 2025/26
| Category | Amount | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Property Taxes (total) | $17,384,500 | |
| ↳ Secured Property Tax | $13,850,000 | |
| ↳ Prop Tax in Lieu of VLF | $1,840,000 | |
| ↳ Other Property Tax | $1,694,500 | |
| Building Fees | $2,449,400 | |
| Misc. Revenues | $1,234,316 | |
| Franchise Fees | $943,000 | |
| Public Works Fees | $685,700 | |
| Policing Fees | $540,450 | |
| Sales Taxes | $529,000 | |
| Planning Fees | $520,300 | |
| Business License Tax | $298,000 | |
| Park Program Fees | $79,700 | |
| Intergovernmental | $47,900 | |
| Total General Fund Revenues | $24,712,266 | 100% |
Year-Over-Year Revenue Comparison — Key Categories
General Fund Expenditures
$22,134,254
Expenditures by Department
Departmental Breakdown — FY 2025/26
| Department / Category | Budget | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Police Department | $11,100,000 | |
| Public Works | $3,900,000 | |
| Planning & Building | $1,970,000 | |
| Finance & Administration | $1,800,000 | |
| Interdepartmental & IT | $1,200,000 | |
| City Attorney / Legal | $500,000 | |
| Other / City Council | $1,664,254 | |
| Total Operating Expenditures | $22,134,254 | 100% |
Note on Police Budget: The Police Department budget increased by $674,436 year-over-year, primarily driven by a salary adjustment of $554,816 (fully-staffed basis), overtime expansion to $750,000, and a CalPERS UAL payment increase of ~$200,000. The department operates four divisions: Admin/Training, Patrol/Traffic, Investigations, and Communications/Records.
Departmental Expenditure Comparison — FY 2024/25 vs FY 2025/26
Below-the-Line Items & Transfers — FY 2025/26
| Item | Amount | Description |
|---|---|---|
| ERAF (Educational Revenue Augmentation Fund) | $2,500,000 | Below-the-line; used for one-time capital project needs |
| COP Debt Service | ($861,871) | Certificates of Participation annual debt service payment |
| Transfer Out — CIP Fund 401 | ($5,555,000) | General Fund allocation to Capital Improvement Program |
| Transfer In — Employee Benefit Fund | $800,000 | ADP offset from Employee Benefits Fund to General Fund |
| Transfer Out — CalPERS ADP | ($3,000,000) | Additional Discretionary Payment to reduce pension UAL |
| Net Below-the-Line Impact | ($6,116,871) | Reduces fund balance from operating surplus |
Capital Improvement Program
$7,555,000
$2,695,000
Drainage Improvements
$3,855,000
Streets & Transportation
$1,005,000
Buildings, Parks & Facilities
CIP by Category
All CIP Projects — FY 2025/26
| Project / Program | Funding |
|---|---|
| Traffic Safety Improvements | $1,840,000 |
| ↳ Alameda de las Pulgas Roundabout (construction) | $1,600,000 |
| ↳ Streetlight Painting Program | $100,000 |
| ↳ Middlefield/Fair Oaks & Middlefield/Watkins Study | $100,000 |
| ↳ Fixed Radar Speed Indicators (Measure M) | $15,000 |
| ↳ Traffic Counts / Speed Surveys (Measure A) | $25,000 |
| Streets / Roads Maintenance | $1,455,000 |
| Drainage Improvement Projects | $2,685,000 |
| ↳ Atherton Channel Assessment & Relining (Upstream ADLP) | $2,000,000 |
| ↳ ECR Long-Term Drainage Solutions (design) | $475,000 |
| ↳ Green Infrastructure Plan Implementation | $150,000 |
| ↳ Storm Drain Inlet Markers / Misc. | $60,000 |
| Bike/Pedestrian Master Plan Program | $425,000 |
| ↳ Station Lane Connection Design/Study | $200,000 |
| ↳ ECR/Selby Lane Intersection Improvements | $250,000 |
| ↳ ECR Complete Streets / Bicycle/Ped Plan Update | $150,000 |
| ↳ Grant Applications | $25,000 |
| Park Improvement Program | $630,000 |
| ↳ Park Playground Restroom Replacement | $350,000 |
| ↳ Jennings Solar & Energy Resiliency | $180,000 |
| ↳ Holbrook Palmer Park General Assessment | $100,000 |
| Town / Library Facilities (Civic Center) | $375,000 |
| ↳ Solar Carports / EV Charging Design | $60,000 |
| ↳ Station Lane / Library Circulation (Library $) | $100,000 |
| ↳ Parking Lot Modifications | $15,000 |
| ↳ Miscellaneous Town Center Improvements | $200,000 |
| Accessibility Improvements | $100,000 |
| Neighborhood Traffic Management | $20,000 |
| Traffic Control Devices | $15,000 |
| Upper Channel Monitoring | $10,000 |
| Total CIP Appropriations | $7,555,000 |
CIP Funding by Program Area
Fund Balance & Reserves
Year-End $9,572,799
FY 2025/26 Sources & Uses of Funds
Beginning Fund Balance (July 1, 2025) $13,111,658
+ GF Revenues (incl. ERAF) $27,212,266
LESS expenditures & transfers:
– Operating Expenditures ($22,134,254)
– COP Debt Service ($861,871)
– Transfer Out: CIP Fund 401 ($5,555,000)
+ Transfer In: Employee Benefit Fund $800,000
– Transfer Out: CalPERS ADP ($3,000,000)
Projected Ending Fund Balance $9,572,799
Reserve Analysis — FY 2025/26
Projected Ending Fund Balance $9,572,799
15% Emergency Reserve (req.) $3,320,138
15% Budget Stabilization Reserve (req.) $3,320,138
Total Reserve Requirement (30%) $6,640,276
Unallocated Reserves $2,932,523
Fund Balance Waterfall
Community Profile & Key Facts
6,976
Population
5.05 mi²
Area
2,474
Residential Units
42
Full-Time Employees
53
Centerline Miles of Streets
$16.4B
Assessed Value FY24/25
$18.3M
GANN Limit FY25/26
1923
Year of Incorporation
Pension & Long-Term Liabilities — Key Figures
| Retiree Class | Liability | Funded | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classic Miscellaneous | $21.97M | $14.75M | 67.2% |
| PEPRA Miscellaneous | $1.22M | $1.07M | 87.5% |
| Classic Safety | $55.16M | $41.75M | 75.7% |
| PEPRA Safety | $2.76M | $2.35M | 85.1% |
| Total (as of June 30, 2023) | $81.1M | $59.9M | 73.8% |
FY 2025/26 UAL Payment: $1,839,866 (an increase of $320,297 from FY 2024/25), incorporated within departmental budgets.
CalPERS ADP: The Council approved a $3,000,000 Additional Discretionary Payment to reduce the Classic Public Safety Pension Plan unfunded liability, funded by $800,000 from the Employee Benefit Fund and $2.2M from General Fund unallocated reserves.
OPEB Status: Current liability $8.15M, PARS Trust balance $8.66M — resulting in a net OPEB asset of $510,276. The Town is fully funded on OPEB obligations.