October 12, 2026 - REDDING — The Redding City Council on Monday approved a mid-cycle budget report and resolution that increases citywide appropriations by $4,281,210 for fiscal year 2025-26 while reducing them by $9,041,220 for fiscal year 2026-27, as staff presented updated figures showing tighter cash positions than earlier estimates. Vice Mayor Dr. Paul Dhanuka led the special meeting. Mayor Mike Littau was initially absent and joined remotely. Council members Tenessa Aud

Public safety comes first. That does not make it untouchable. Opinion Piece Political Cartoon - Satire Mark Mezzano, candidate for City Council, has drawn a hard line. Public safety, he says, is off limits for budget cuts. At the Chamber of Commerce forum on September 16, he refused to put police and fire on the table and instead pointed to park promises and other spending. He is not the only candidate talking that way. The priority is right. The blank check is not. A city ha

Hiring freeze already in effect as Circle 6 efficiency study continues; layoffs expected once findings are released. William Tarbox, who served as Redding City Manager from February until his death on July 19, 2026. Information circulating since the sudden death of Redding City Manager William Tarbox suggests budget shortfalls are significantly more severe than public statements have conveyed. Tarbox died July 19 of cardiac arrest at age 56, only five months after starting th

In an era when California taxpayers are asked to shoulder some of the highest burdens in the nation while often left in the dark about where their hard-earned dollars actually go, one candidate is doing more than talking about accountability—he’s building the tools to deliver it. Herb Morgan, the Republican candidate for California State Controller, has launched California Radical Transparency (CRT 2.0), a powerful, citizen-focused web platform that transforms complex state s

In a city known for its sky-high costs, endless bureaucracy, and political theater, New York City’s new Mayor Zohran Mamdani has pulled off what supporters are calling a miracle: closing a whopping $12 billion budget deficit for Fiscal Year 2027 without raising property taxes on working New Yorkers, slashing core services, or draining the rainy-day fund. nyc.gov Viral Praise on X: The "Hero" Narrative Social media exploded with acclaim. Supporters framed it as visionary leade

LAO Warns of Reckless Reliance on Volatile Revenues, Reserve Depletion, and Painful Cuts Governor Gavin Newsom hailed his May Revision to the 2026-27 state budget as a triumph of fiscal discipline, announcing on May 14 that California has eliminated its deficit for the current and next budget years, with the structural gap closed through July 2028. "No deficit this year. No deficit next year," Newsom proclaimed, framing the plan as protecting investments in healthcare, educat