Advisory Board: COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS PARTNERSHIP - CCP EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Subject: WORKSHOP to review and discuss fiscal year 2027-28 AB 109 Public Safety Realignment Community Corrections budget proposals
Presenter: Esa Ehmen-Krause, CCP Chair; Katie Domingo, CCP Staff
Contact: Kathleen.Domingo@prob.cccounty.us
Referral History:
In 2011, Governor Jerry Brown signed Assembly Bill 109 (AB 109) into law, fundamentally changing California’s correctional system. The legislation aimed to reduce the costly and ineffective cycle of incarceration for lower-level offenders and parole violators by shifting responsibility for certain offenders from the state to local jurisdictions. Specifically, AB 109 transferred responsibility for individuals sentenced for nonviolent, non-serious, and non-sex offenses to local jurisdictions; established Post-Release Community Supervision (PRCS); revised the parole revocation process; assigned Community Corrections Partnerships (CCP) responsibility for developing and implementing local plans; and expanded local law enforcement’s ability to manage offenders through more cost-effective approaches.
To fund these new responsibilities, the legislation also directed the State to allocate a portion of sales tax and vehicle license fee (VLF) revenues to counties. The State’s Community Corrections funding allocation consists of two components: Base and Growth. The Base allocation is derived from current-year sales tax and VLF revenues, while the Growth allocation is based on the prior year’s actual sales tax and VLF funding from the State.
Since AB 109’s implementation, the Growth allocation has been more volatile than the Base allocation due to changing economic conditions and variations in funding. The Growth allocation formula is based on two primary factors: felony probation outcomes (80%) and incarceration rates (20%). The felony probation component includes a 60% allocation based on felony probation success rates and a 20% allocation based on year-over-year improvement in felony probation outcomes for counties demonstrating improvement. The incarceration component includes a 10% allocation based on each county’s year-over-year reduction in overall prison admissions and a 10% allocation based on the county’s per capita prison admission rate. Attachment A provides a five-year summary of Base and Growth allocations for each county.
In preparation for the County’s FY 2027-28 budget development process, which begins in January 2027, AB 109 Community Corrections budget planning begins in fall 2026 to allow sufficient time for discussion, review, and approval. The AB 109 Community Corrections budget is incorporated into the County’s annual Recommended Budget following approval by the Community Corrections Partnership Executive Committee and the Board of Supervisors’ Public Protection Committee. Attachment B outlines the budget development schedule for reference.
Referral Update:
Today’s workshop will focus on department budget proposals for FY 2027-28. The Committee may request revisions or corrections for consideration at its December meeting. The December meeting will provide an additional opportunity for the Community Corrections Partnership (CCP) Executive Committee to deliberate on the proposed budgets and vote on funding allocations.
Based on the increase from prior year allocations, the County’s estimated Base allocation for FY 2027-28 is $39.5 million. To maintain fiscal responsibility amid slower than projected sales tax growth, departments were advised not to submit budget modifications that increase, enhance, or expand existing programs. Maintaining current service levels is considered the most prudent approach given the funding outlook. Departments were also asked to compare prior-year budget requests with actual expenditures to identify underutilized budget authority and potential opportunities for savings.
Attachment C summarizes the current year approved budget and the proposed FY 2027-28 budgets, including any requested modifications. Attachment D compiles the detailed department budget submissions and includes supporting budget narratives.
As of June 30, 2026, the Community Corrections Fund had an estimated fund balance of $44 million. Of this amount, approximately $11.9 million is committed to one-time projects, leaving approximately $32 million in the reserve.
As summarized in Attachment C, total proposed baseline expenditures for FY 2027-28 are approximately $45.2 million, exceeding the estimated Base allocation of $39.5 million by approximately $5.7 million. Assuming no growth allocation is received, this shortfall would need to be covered by reserves. Given the historical volatility of growth allocations due to changing economic conditions, no growth funding has been included in the projected allocation. Accordingly, any proposed budget modifications should be subject to thorough review, careful consideration, and substantive discussion to ensure fiscal responsibility and the long-term sustainability of available reserves.
Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s):
WORKSHOP to review and discuss Fiscal Year 2027-28 AB 109 Public Safety Realignment Community Corrections budget proposals as submitted by operating departments. (No vote scheduled)
Fiscal Impact:
Although there will be no action taken today, it is important to recognize that even a nominal increase in funding to existing programs will continue to put pressure on the base allocation and fund balance reserves in the upcoming years.