Just the facts.

THE CRISIS

Mendocino County county-wide vacancy rate is 29%.

Among the critical staffing shortages jeopardizing the health, safety, and well-being of county residents, including the most vulnerable, are:

  •  A nearly 40% vacancy rate in Family & Children’s Services — putting at-risk kids in danger;

  • A 44% vacancy rate in Department of Transportation road crews, meaning our roads don’t get paved or repaired in a timely manner;

  • A 47% vacancy rate for public health nurses, putting our low-income and elderly populations at risk; and

  • A 70% vacancy rate for mental health clinicians.

A DYSFUNCTIONAL BOARD

The 2023 grand jury report concluded the following:

  • “Understaffing does not appear to be related to funding issues.”

  • “Compared to similar counties in California, Mendocino has among the highest percentage of staffing vacancies, among the highest turnover in employees and HR leadership, and among the longest time from job posting to hire.”

  • “Over the last 25 year, the County has had a staggering total of 19 people leading the HR Department, with an average tenure of only 1.2 years.”

  • “The fact that these shortfalls continue to exist 10 years later is directly attributable to the lack of consistent and qualified leadership...”

  • “The situation is not sustainable.”

There have been rumblings of the State Auditor launching an investigation into the County's finances.

Outside investment analysts have been probing the County's questionable practices.

THE SOLUTION

Mendocino County must do everything in its power to properly understand its books, collect revenue, and create a budget that reflects its purported values.

Since 2015, Mendocino County has significantly under-projected its tax revenue, missing the mark by anywhere between $1.3 to $10.3 Million dollars.

  • Most recently, for the 21-22 fiscal year, Mendocino County under-projected its tax revenue by $1.8 Million dollars.

  • For the past two years, Mendocino County has under-projected its transit occupancy tax (TOT) revenue by over $2.5 million dollars.

Since 2019/20, total revenue for County has increased 44.8%, from $284 Million to $412 Million. 

The general fund is the county’s primary operating fund, and an increase in revenue from a diverse sources demonstrates the ability for a county to weather setbacks in the short term.

  • Mendocino County general fund revenue has grown significantly over the past five years, from $173M in FY2017 to an estimated $239M in FY2023, an increase of nearly 40%.