Sonoma County supervisors are navigating four days of budget workshops this week as officials confront what many are calling the county’s most significant fiscal challenge in years: a proposed federal bill that could strip health coverage from more than 25,000 residents and force the county to absorb an estimated $124 million in costs it was never budgeted to carry.
Key Takeaways
- The proposed FY 2026–27 county budget totals $2.7 billion — a near-flat 1.2% increase, the smallest in recent memory.
- Federal legislation known as HR1 could push 25,364 Sonoma County residents off Medi-Cal and eliminate food assistance for roughly 3,900 more.
- The county estimates absorbing those displaced residents would cost $124.4 million.
- Thirty-nine county positions face elimination by September 30 if alternate funding is not secured, with Permit Sonoma and Health Services most affected.
- An additional $31 million in FEMA storm-infrastructure reimbursements remains stalled at the federal level.
A flat budget under extraordinary pressure
The county’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2026–27 reflects almost no growth. Deputy County Administrator Peter Bruland, who oversees budget planning, called it “pretty much the flattest budget you’re going to see.” The four-day workshops — scheduled April 20 through 23 at the Board of Supervisors chambers in Santa Rosa — added an extra session this year specifically to address the potential fallout from HR1, the Trump administration’s sweeping “One Big Beautiful Bill.”
Board Chair Rebecca Hermosillo opened the workshops with a candid warning: “This year’s budget is the start of what we expect will be some challenging years ahead.” The sessions also marked the first day on the job for new County Executive David Guhin, who succeeded retiring Christina Rivera. Guhin previously served as city manager for the City of Sonoma and spent 18 years with the City of Santa Rosa before taking the county’s top administrative post at an annual salary of $377,226.
What HR1 could mean for 25,000 county residents
The sharpest threat in the budget workshops is HR1. The legislation would impose new work requirements on Medicaid recipients and require beneficiaries to renew their coverage twice annually instead of once. County projections show those changes could knock 25,364 Sonoma County residents off Medi-Cal — a level of disruption that Health Services Director Nolan Sullivan described as “astronomical.”
Before the Affordable Care Act, counties bore the cost of uninsured low-income residents through the County Medical Services Program (CMSP). Just 97 people in Sonoma County are currently enrolled in CMSP. If HR1 passes, that caseload could surge to 11,560, according to county estimates — with the county legally required to provide care. “The county has to provide those services, so the county is kind of panicking,” Sullivan said. An additional 3,897 residents are projected to lose CalFresh food assistance under the same legislation. The combined cost to absorb those residents is estimated at $124.4 million, most of which would not hit county finances in full until fiscal year 2027–28.
The $31 million in delayed FEMA reimbursements for storm-damaged infrastructure compounds the pressure. Two federal grant programs that previously funded local hazard mitigation projects — the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program and the Hazard Mitigation Grant program — have been eliminated entirely.
Permit Sonoma cuts and what they mean for residents
The proposed budget calls for eliminating 39 county positions, concentrated at Permit Sonoma and the Department of Health Services. Those positions will be funded through the first quarter of the new fiscal year — through September 30 — while the county pursues alternate revenue. Layoffs will proceed only if funding is not found.
For residents, the Permit Sonoma reductions are the most tangible day-to-day impact: fewer planning and permitting staff means longer waits for building permits, land-use approvals, and inspections. The county has also been expanding access to services in rural areas through its mobile government service van program, but health services cuts could squeeze those efforts too.
The fiscal pressure is not unique to county government. Santa Rosa City Schools recently received a county budget clearance paired with a “grave concerns” warning, reflecting how tightly budgets are stretched across the county’s institutions. The final recommended county budget is expected May 13, with board hearings and a formal vote scheduled for early June.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will I lose my Medi-Cal coverage because of this?
Not because of the county budget itself — the threat comes from HR1, a federal bill that has not yet passed. If it becomes law, new work requirements and twice-yearly renewal deadlines could cause 25,364 Sonoma County residents to lose Medi-Cal coverage. The county would then be legally responsible for providing basic medical care to many of those residents through a revived County Medical Services Program.
When will supervisors finalize the budget?
Budget workshops run through April 23. A final recommended budget will be released May 13, and the Board of Supervisors will hold public hearings before a formal vote in early June. No binding decisions are made during the April workshops — they are informational sessions for the board to ask questions and hear department presentations.
Can I attend the budget workshops or give input?
Yes. Workshop sessions are open to the public at the Board of Supervisors chambers at 575 Administration Drive in Santa Rosa, beginning at 9 a.m. each day through April 23. Public comment is accepted at the start of each session. Budget documents and agendas are available at sonomacounty.gov.
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