Ron Alvarado for City Council · Ward 1
City of San Bernardino · Financial Transparency

Where Does San Bernardino's Money Go?

An independent, verifiable budget explorer tracking city revenues and department spending from 2006 to the present day. All figures are drawn directly from official City budget books.

Candidate Perspective & Fiscal Analysis

Restoring Fiscal Integrity in Ward 1

Analysis of San Bernardino's Financial Trajectory (2006–Present)

1. The Pre-Bankruptcy Build-Up & Crash (2006–2012): In FY 2006–07 and 2007–08, San Bernardino was operating with General Fund revenues topping $132M and all-funds budgets above $216M. However, structural deficits, unaddressed liabilities, and unsustainable spending during the Great Recession led directly to the catastrophic municipal bankruptcy filing in 2012.

2. The Austerity & Recovery Era (2012–2020): In the bankruptcy aftermath, city staffing and neighborhood services were drastically slashed. While revenues bottomed out below $115M, deferred infrastructure maintenance created the deep deficits in street paving, park safety, and code enforcement that Ward 1 still struggles with today.

3. Measure S & Modern Growth (2021–Present): With the passage of Measure S, annual revenues surged past $300M, and General Fund + Measure S appropriations now exceed $251M in FY 2026–27. San Bernardino has the financial resources it needs—what our residents are missing is accountability. As a fraud investigator and union advocate, Ron Alvarado is fighting to ensure your tax dollars flow directly into safer streets, clean neighborhood parks, and responsive city services instead of overhead.

4. Warning Sign: Spending Outpacing Revenue Again (Bankruptcy Correlation): A critical warning sign from our 21-year data is that the same dynamic that precipitated the 2012 collapse—spending obligations consistently outstripping ongoing revenue collections—has begun to re-emerge in recent budget cycles (with Adopted all-funds spending exceeding $352M against $317M in revenue in FY 2025–26, and $329M vs. $318M in FY 2026–27). Without disciplined fiscal oversight, aggressive auditing, and prioritized core services, our city risks sliding back into structural deficit traps.

Money In vs. Money Out (All Funds)

Published citywide totals. Transfers and capital reserves vary by fiscal year.

Spending by Department (Ranked Highest to Lowest)

Sorted automatically by dollar magnitude to highlight major expenditure drivers.

Revenue Sources (Ranked Highest to Lowest)

Sorted automatically by dollar magnitude from major tax streams to local fees.

Official 21-Year Budget Timeline (2006–Present)

Green indicates fully transcribed & verified primary records.

2026-27
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2025-26
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2024-25
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2023-24
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2022-23
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2021-22
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2020-21
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2019-20
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2018-19
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2017-18
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2016-17
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2015-16
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2014-15
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2013-14
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2012-13
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2011-12
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2010-11
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2009-10
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2008-09
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2007-08
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2006-07
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Official Primary Sources & Method

Transcribed exclusively from published City of San Bernardino budget books.

Official Records

City of San Bernardino Budget Portal ↗

Selected Fiscal Year Document ↗

Independent Transparency Method

Every figure in this explorer is extracted directly from the City's published summary schedules. No figures are estimated or modeled. Notes indicate when reporting conventions shifted between pre-bankruptcy, bankruptcy-era, and modern reporting.