BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — As the new year begins, the City of Bakersfield is already well into its fiscal year and facing continued budget pressure, with city officials warning that rising costs are outpacing revenue and forcing departments to prepare for reductions.
Bakersfield Police Chief Greg Terry said the department is entering the 2026 fiscal year expecting budget constraints similar to those facing the rest of the city.
“Costs are outpacing the revenue,” Terry said. “That’s the reality, and so we’re taking a close look at how we can better align and still maintain these core services.”
Terry said the police department typically sees about 30 officers leave each year through normal attrition. He said the department expects vacancies — not layoffs — to be the primary way it absorbs budget reductions.
Despite the financial pressure, Terry said the department’s priorities remain unchanged.
“We want to make sure we maintain emergency response, continue our crime reduction and prevention programs, and continue to engage in the community,” he said.
City Manager Christian Clegg said the financial challenges extend beyond public safety and affect departments across the city.
“Our expenditures continued to rise at a faster rate than our revenues,” Clegg said. “And so we’ve had to do some adjustments and some right-sizing.”
The city has been under a hiring freeze since last summer, with more than 100 positions currently frozen across departments. Officials say the freeze is part of a strategy to save at least $8 million through vacancy savings.
Clegg said some positions may begin to be filled again later this year, but many will remain frozen as the city takes a cautious approach to spending.
“We’re looking at how we rethink how we’re doing some of our programs,” Clegg said. “But being very thoughtful about where we can make reductions without major impacts to services.”
In a statement to 23ABC, city officials said staff remains confident that budget projections presented to the Bakersfield City Council last June are still in line with current revenue and expenditure estimates. However, officials noted the city has not yet received second-quarter tax revenue figures, which are typically the strongest of the year and often lag by several months.
Because of that delay, officials said it is too early to draw firm conclusions about the city’s financial outlook.
A formal budget update is expected to be presented to the City Council in late February or early March, officials said.
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