Roughly 14 people turned out to the Fullerton Public Library on July 7 to help set spending and revenue priorities as the city stares down a multi-year deficit.

On the evening of Monday, July 7, 2026, about a dozen and a half Fullerton residents gathered at the Fullerton Public Library for the first of the city’s Community Budget meetings — a hands-on session designed to let the public weigh in directly on how Fullerton raises and spends its money.

The format was simple and visual. Instead of speeches at a podium, attendees moved through a series of boards and voted with colored stickers: green for support (or “most acceptable“), yellow for “need more information” or “would modify,” and red for opposition or concern. The result was a candid, real-time snapshot of where this group of residents stands.

Turnout was modest — attendance hovered around 14 — and not everyone weighed in on every item, so the sticker tallies vary from board to board. But even with a small crowd, some clear patterns emerged.

Where does the money come from?

Fullerton’s sales tax rate currently sits at 7.75%, of which only about a dollar of every $7.75 collected on a $100 purchase stays with the city — the rest flows to Orange County and the state. Property taxes are similar: for every $100 in property tax paid, the City of Fullerton keeps roughly $15.64, with the largest share going to schools. That thin slice of local revenue is part of what has the city looking hard at new options.

Attendees showed the most enthusiasm for revenue ideas that either tax visitors or open new markets:

• Legalizing cannabis drew 11 green stickers and just one yellow — one of the night’s clearest signals of support.
• Hotel occupancy tax adjustments, paid primarily by hotel guests rather than residents, earned 11 green.
• A dedicated sales tax for streets only (8 green) and a general sales tax (7 green) both found favor, as did selling city-owned properties or assets (7 green).

A pair of resident-suggested ideas also landed well: hiring for economic development picked up 7 green stickers, and workforce development got 2.

Just as telling was what the room rejected. Privatizing the city’s water utility drew a unanimous wall of red — 14 stickers, no supporters. Privatizing the airport was nearly as unpopular (11 red). And a sales tax dedicated to public safety only was met with skepticism (7 red), even as residents were more open to a streets-focused or general tax. Ideas like business license tax updates and raising program fees to full cost recovery landed mostly in “need more information” yellow territory.

What to protect, what to trim

Asked which services should be strengthened, maintained, or reduced under tight budgets, residents put their green stickers behind the basics. Street maintenance — potholes and pavement repairs — was the runaway priority with 9 green. Faster construction permit processing (6 green), youth services (5 green), senior transportation and park restrooms also drew support for investment.

The clearest calls to cut back involved events. The Fourth of July festival collected 13 red stickers, and the First Night celebration drew 11 red — suggesting this group would rather see marquee events scaled back than core services touched. Police-community relations programs such as Coffee with a Cop and Trunk or Treat (7 red) and school resource officers (4 red) also faced pushback, while items like fire stations, tree trimming, and library programs mostly landed in “maintain” yellow.The budget scenarios

The city presented three overall approaches, and residents made their preference plain.

Scenario B — a balanced budget achieved through service reductions and deferrals — was the strong favorite, with 11 green stickers and 2 yellow. It balances the budget in the first year through hiring freezes and delayed capital and maintenance spending, building on a baseline package of cuts while protecting core infrastructure.

Scenario A, which would lean on city reserves to soften service reductions, drew a more divided response (1 green, 6 yellow, 4 red). And Scenario C — the most aggressive path, unfunding 30-plus positions to lock in long-term structural balance without a tax increase — was the least popular, with 10 red stickers and no green. Residents appeared willing to trade some short-term pain for a balanced budget, but wary of deep, permanent cuts across departments.

Have your say: Meeting #2 is this Thursday

The July 7 session was only the beginning. Residents who missed it — or who want to add their voice — have another chance this week.

Budget Community Meeting #2 Thursday, July 9, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. Hunt Branch Library 201 South Basque Avenue, Fullerton

With Fullerton weighing difficult choices over the next several years, these early meetings are a rare opportunity for residents to shape priorities before the numbers are locked in. If the first turnout is any guide, the people who show up really do move the sticker count.