Approve Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Budget - YES

Corte Madera continues our strong fiscal trajectory, thanks to years of careful financial planning. I’m proud to have voted yes on approving the Town’s 2023-2024 budget, and I want to thank Town Manager Adam Wolf, our hardworking staff, and my Council colleagues for another balanced budget that delivers on the community’s priorities.

The Town's largest revenue sources continue to be property and sales tax, which together account for 85% of the Town’s revenue. This includes a special Corte Madera-specific sales tax that was approved by local voters in 2018, which has been critical to funding the new infrastructure projects, regular maintenance, and recreational programs that our community has asked for. While sales tax revenue is projected to be about 4% lower than last year, property taxes are projected to increase by a similar amount (due to increasing property values, not an increase in the tax rate) keeping our income stable.

The coming year’s overall spending will be down sharply from last year’s, due mainly to the nearing completion of our new Town Hall. Salaries will be up 17% due to the filling of key vacancies at Town Hall, which will allow our local government to function more efficiently and effectively. Finally, we have more than $16 million in infrastructure projects planned for the coming year, including exciting improvements to our roads, parks, and flood control systems.

While other cities are still struggling to patch the budgetary holes left by COVID, Corte Madera is busy collaborating with our community to see how we can further improve our service to residents, even above pre-pandemic levels. That is something every resident should feel proud of!

View the Town budget here.