Redlands holds budget vote until June 16 over fire and police staffing

Community Forward Redlands: The council voted 4-0 to continue adoption of the 2027-2028 budget to June 16, with members reluctant to sign off until public-safety staffing is addressed. Councilmember Denise Davis said emergency call volume has climbed 71% over 22 years while sworn firefighter staffing stayed essentially flat, and pressed for six firefighter-paramedic positions the department wants. City Manager Charles Duggan said pulling those positions into year one rather than year two would cost roughly $1.4 million more, or equivalent cuts elsewhere. Councilmember Paul Barich, who made the motion to delay, said the Police Department runs about 13 officers short of full staffing, with some nights leaving five or six patrol units for 35 square miles; he wanted more clarity on labor talks before voting. The budget already carries about $4 million in service reductions, mostly in Facility and Community Services, and projects Measure T sales-tax revenue near $20.6 million in fiscal 2027. The longer-term picture is tighter: with property-tax growth slowed to about 4% and sales-tax growth flat at 1% to 2%, Finance Director Danielle Garcia said the city will need to cut General Fund spending by roughly $4.5 million starting in fiscal 2029 to keep reserves healthy.