Pasadena Public Works Department to Present $95.8 Million Budget Proposal

The Pasadena Municipal Services Committee will consider a $95.8 million operating budget for the city’s Public Works Department at the Committee’s meeting on Tuesday, representing a 2.47% increase from the previous fiscal year.

The budget proposal, which will be presented during a May 13 workshop, includes significant investments in personnel, equipment replacement and essential city services while addressing rising costs for materials and contracted services.

Public Works officials are seeking approval for three new fleet positions recommended in an internal audit, along with funding for five compressed natural gas vehicles to replace aging equipment in the city’s refuse and street sweeping fleet.

“The department demonstrated exceptional response to the January 2025 Windstorm,” according to a preliminary budget report, noting crews removed over 6,700 tons of debris in just three weeks following the disaster.

The budget breakdown shows a 4.91% increase in personnel costs to nearly $35 million and a 6.26% rise in services and supplies to $35.9 million. Capital outlay would decrease by 36.16% to $4.7 million, though this figure doesn’t include $2.46 million in enhancement requests for equipment purchases.

Department accomplishments in the current fiscal year include replacing 65,000 square feet of sidewalk, filling 4,500 potholes, pruning 14,000 trees and removing 14,000 incidents of graffiti across the city.

Public Works is also requesting 5.37 new positions at a cost of $813,859, with most funded through special revenue sources rather than the city’s general fund. These include a stormwater engineer, program coordinator and code compliance officer to address sidewalk vending enforcement.

Other enhancement requests include $280,000 for an asphalt hot patch truck to improve pothole repairs and $175,000 for tree purchasing, planting and maintenance.

The department oversees maintenance of approximately 17,000 streetlights, 20,000 traffic signs, 340 signalized intersections and 1,100 city vehicles.

The meeting will be held at 4 p.m. in the City Council Chamber at City Hall.