City of Santa Barbara Recognized for Excellence in Budget Presentation

The City of Santa Barbara has earned national recognition for their Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Operating Budget. The two awards received are the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award from the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada; and the Operating Budget Excellence Award from the California Society of Municipal Finance Officers. These honors represent the City’s continued commitment to meeting the highest standards of government budgeting by producing a comprehensive and transparent budget document that clearly communicates their financial plan and operations to the public.

“The City has made great strides in enhancing our budget processes, systems, and presentations over the years to be more transparent and accessible,” according to City Finance Director, Keith DeMartini. “I’d like to thank the Budget Team as well as department staff who work on the budget throughout the year.”

These awards have come ahead of the release of the City’s Recommended Two-Year Operating and Capital Budget for Fiscal Years 2026 and 2027. The Santa Barbara City Council will review and receive presentations from staff regarding the recommended budget during the following, scheduled meetings:

• April 22, 2025, 2:00 p.m. – Introduction of the Recommended Budget
• April 29, 2025, Noon – Finance Committee's Review of the Recommended Budget and Fee Schedule
• May 6, 2025, 2:00 p.m. – General, Enterprise, and Other Funds Budget Hearing
• June 3, 2025, 2:00 p.m. – Budget Deliberations
• June 10, 2025, 2:00 p.m. – Budget Deliberations (continued, if needed)

The Santa Barbara City Council is scheduled to take action on the recommended budget during the regularly scheduled meeting on June 17, 2025, at 2:00 p.m.

Learn more about the City’s FY2025 budget through the interactive online budget tool and other financial activities found at Budget & Reporting -SantaBarbaraCA.gov/Budget-Reports.