Budget Update, Mayor's Holiday Party, and More Berkeley News

New Council Sworn In

 

Councilmembers Rashi Kesarwani, Kate Harrison, Mark Humbert, and Rigel Robinson, and City Auditor Jenny Wong were sworn in at a ceremony last week.

 

The 2022 Council cohort was sworn in on Friday, December 9th in a ceremony outside of Old City Hall. with the first meeting of the new Council taking place on December 13th. Council is now on winter recess and will return to session on January 17th. In addition to reelection of Councilmembers Rashi Kesarwani, Kate Harrison, and Rigel Robinson, we welcome Councilmember Mark Humbert, who succeeds retiring Councilmember Lori Droste. We thank Lori Droste for her eight years of service as Councilmember for District 8. The City Auditor, Jenny Wong, was also sworn for a second 4 year term during the ceremony.

Even if you have not moved, your district may have changed during the 2020 redistricting process. To look up your Council District, click here. The current Council is as follows:

Mid-Year Budget Update

 
 

The Annual Appropriations Ordinance (AAO#1) is passed every December to allocate surplus revenue that is left at the end of the Fiscal Year (which ends June 30th). For the latest Fiscal Year, 2022, General Fund revenues for FY22 was $284.5 million, approximately $48 million more than what was adopted. The large surplus was the result of stronger than expected rebound in sales tax revenues, which are now effectively at pre-pandemic levels, in addition to significant transfers of real property, generating large transfer tax receipts. Council took action on the AAO#1 at Tuesday’s Council meeting.  

Of the surplus revenue, around $9 million was allocated for General Fund Encumbrances, $6.3 million in General Fund Carryover, and $0.8 million in General Fund adjustments. The remaining balance of $31.3 million, $17.3 million was allocated based on Council action in June to balance the FY23-24 budget, $3 million was allocated to replenish reserves that had been drawn down during the pandemic, and $8.6 million toward the Capital Improvement Fund. This left $2.5 million for additional allocations. 

Of these funds, $1.56 million was allocated for the following purposes, based on Council referrals:

The remaining balance will be allocated towards unanticipated costs and the Section 115 Trust.

COVID-19/Flu/RSV Updates

 
 

With the winter season upon us, we are seeing an increase in cases of COVID-19, in addition to other viruses such as the flu and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). All three viruses spread in similar ways, mainly through respiration. The term “tridemic” has been coined to describe the triple threat these viruses pose during the winter, but with proper safety precautions and staying up to date with vaccines, you can help reduce your chances of catching and spreading these viruses.

COVID-19

As of Tuesday, December 13th, there have been 21,709 cases of COVID-19 in Berkeley. These are lab confirmed cases, and do not include unreported cases discovered through home test kits. Over the last 30 days, there were 579 cases, and we are currently averaging 13 daily cases over the last seven days. The case rate, which is based on last week’s numbers, is 19.5 cases per 100,000 residents per day. Test positivity is at 9.0%. Overall, these trends are a noticeable increase compared to a few weeks ago, but matches the surge trends of the last couple of winters with peaks in mid-January. Hospitalizations also continue to climb throughout the County, which is currently on par with the peak during this summer’s surge. 73 Berkeley residents have died from COVID-19 to date, with 16 deaths recorded so far in 2022, the latest one occurring on November 3rd. 96% of Berkeley residents are fully vaccinated, with 89% of vaccinated people receiving at least one booster. For more information, visit the City's COVID-19 Dashboard.

Flu

The 2022-23 flu season is shaping up to be one of the strongest in recent history, with 6.2 million people having already been infected by the end of November. California is one of 27 states that are currently experiencing very high levels of transmission of the flu. In some places, the flu is expected to outpace COVID-19 in terms of the number of people being hospitalized. But as with COVID-19, vaccines are available for the flu. People can get their COVID booster shot and flu shot at the same time. Consult with your doctor, health insurance, or pharmacy about getting vaccinated.  

RSV

In most adults, RSV presents itself similarly to the common cold, including a runny nose, coughing, sneezing, and sometimes a fever. While RSV is very common in children, with most getting it by the time they are two, this year there has been a noticeable surge in cases. RSV can be dangerous in younger children, with around 2% of children under six months being hospitalized by an infection. Severe cases can lead to Bronchiolitis and pneumonia. While healthy adults will typically experience only a mild case of RSV, those who are seniors, have a heart and lung disease, or are immunocompromised are at higher risk of experiencing more severe cases. For more information, visit the CDC’s page on RSV.

Student Input Wanted on Southside Area Plan

 
 

The City of Berkeley is seeking feedback from UC Berkeley students as part of the City’s proposed zoning efforts in the Southside Plan Area. All UC Berkeley students (undergraduate, graduate, and post-doctoral), whether you live in the Southside or not, are welcome to take the survey. The survey is open through Sunday, December 18th. This survey should take approximately 5-10 minutes.

The Southside Plan, which was last updated in 2011, provides a guide for future development in the Southside area. It sets forth policies around land use, housing, economic development, transportation, and other areas of interest. Since its adoption in 2011, multiple referrals have been introduced over the past few years to increase the production of housing in Southside. For additional details on the Southside Plan, click here.

2nd Annual Holiday Party Tomorrow at 6pm

 
 

You are invited to my second annual holiday party and food drive!

Friday, December 16 from 6pm-8pm

at Cornerstone, 2367 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley

No need to RSVP. In lieu of tickets, canned food or a monetary donation will be appreciated*. Light refreshments will be provided along with a no host bar. Wearing an ugly sweater is optional, but recommended!

Contact my office if you have any questions mayor@cityofberkeley.info, 510-981-7100.

I hope to see you there!

*Canned food will be donated to the Alameda County Community Food Bank. Monetary donations (cash, check, online/credit card) will be donated to the Berkeley Holiday Fund.

Jesse Arreguin