FRESNO, CA– Mayor Jerry Dyer, along with City Manager Thomas Esqueda, announced the City of Fresno’s proposed Fiscal Year 2022 budget at a City Hall news conference Wednesday. The $1,419,713,900 budget focuses on enhancing public safety, establishing the Mayor’s Homeless Response Team, expanding the Graffiti Abatement Crew, funding a Senior Activity Center, establishing an Express Development Team, and creating the Office of Community Affairs.
The following Vision and Mayoral Initiatives will be the Fiscal Year 2022 budget’s focus:
An Inclusive, Prosperous, Beautiful City where residents take pride in their neighborhood and their community. A Government that listens, keeps its promises, and is owned by the people. A culture that says, “We Work for You”.
- 10 Community Service Officers are being added to the police department to handle lower priority calls, 4 dispatchers are being added to reduce the time it takes to answer 911 calls, 4 Crime Scene Investigators are being added for a more timely response to violent crimes, and 2 additional Investigators are being added to conduct background investigations.
- 42 firefighters are being added, 4 Fire Prevention Inspectors, 1 Senior Fire Prevention Inspector, 1 Engineer, and 2 Maintenance Operations Assistants. These positions will increase the department’s ability to reduce fires, decrease inspection times (on plan checks), and free up firefighters to be more responsive to emergency-type duties.
- Establishment of the Mayor’s HART (Homeless Assistance Response Team), which will be comprised of outreach workers from community-based organizations who will serve as the primary point of contact with our homeless population.
- Expansion of Graffiti Abatement Crew with the addition of personnel, equipment, and the outsourcing of services in order to restore Fresno’s curb appeal.
- Funding for the establishment of a citywide Senior Activity Center, which will include several funding sources, many of which have been carried over from prior years.
- Creation of the Express Development Team, which will streamline services in the Planning and Development Department.
- Forming the Office of Community Affairs to be reflective of Fresno’s diversity, and allow for increased communication and access to government.
Mayor Jerry Dyer will present the proposed budget to Fresno City Council at its meeting on Thursday, May 27, 2021.
The City of Fresno’s budget must be adopted by June 30th, per the city charter.
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