City of Salinas approves budget

SALINAS, Calif. (KION)

In Salinas tonight, council members pass the presented budget in a 6 to 1 vote.

The budget passed at 191-million-dollars and will be revisited each quarter.

A motion to add $327,000 dollars for libraries and community service programs was approved.

Due to the significant and abrupt impact from COVID-19, the city was faced with a 19.3 million budget deficit challenge in the general fund.

An estimated $12 million were managed in cuts, so now the city is left with a remaining 6.7 shortfall, which will result in layoffs.

In the end, despite calls to reallocate funds, the police department's budget remains at $52 million and makes up 45 percent of the city's budget.