BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — The Kern County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the fiscal year 2026-2027 budget following a public hearing Tuesday, with county officials highlighting financial struggles projected in the coming years.
County officials said the overall budget is balanced but the general fund is not. This means the county’s ongoing spending is continuing to grow at a pace that exceeds Kern’s ongoing revenue.
“The next few years are projected to be even more difficult to navigate as federal policy changes to county safety nets that serve our most vulnerable population begin to be implemented,” County Administrative Officer Nancy Anderson said at the hearing.
Budget breakdown
The total budget is $4.4 billion, a $56.6 million decrease from the previous budget. It supports 8,559 authorized county positions with 59 vacant positions getting deleted, including 48 cuts from the Department of Human Services…