Sacramento releases a list of who could be laid off in $66M budget crisis
The brunt of the city of Sacramento’s layoffs would hit parks maintenance workers, according to a list of positions released Tuesday. Some employees in other departments could also lose their jobs.
Thirty-seven people could be laid off or demoted from City Hall, according to a discussion heard at City Council on Tuesday, marking the first time the City Council heard publicly how many people — and not just positions — will be affected.
People who are demoted would be handed other responsibilities, said Finance Director Pete Coletto. Some have already been placed in other jobs, and others have retired, he said.
“Some hard decisions had to be made,” said City Manager Maraskeshia Smith, who released the budget proposal last week. “Every option considered carried impacts, and those impacts are not abstract.”
Park maintenance workers in 26 positions could get a pink slip. The city previously said it spared 23 other park maintenance positions. Nearly 100 vacant positions could also be eliminated.
Sacramento Mayor Kevin McCarty said he mostly supported Smith’s fiscal plan.
Payden Martin, a union representative for Local 39, said the park workers are some of the city’s lowest paid personnel and some make about $35,000 a year.
“Laying these employees off will in no way solve the $66 million budget shortfall,” Martin said. “Our parks maintenance division works in the cold, rain, blazing heat, pandemics, (cleaning) poop and drug needles out of playgrounds and sports fields.”
He implored the City Council to cancel contracts instead of laying off employees. The City Council is attempting to fill a $66.2 million budget gap to balance the $1.7 billion budget. Throughout May, the City Council will discuss bridging the shortfall.
Other proposed positions to be cut include staff members in the Office of Public Safety Accountability, which serves as a watchdog over the Sacramento police and fire departments. An administrative analyst in the city manager’s office and an IT support specialist could also be let go.
Councilmember Mai Vang said the Youth, Parks & Community Enrichment Department is one of the smallest departments in the city, yet faces a majority of the personnel separations. The park maintenance workers are part of YPCE.
“When we are balancing the budget, it is on the backs of our youth, families, our neighborhoods and our parks every single time,” Vang said. She added that the budget of the Sacramento Police Department, the city’s largest department, has grown each year.
McCarty and several council members directed their attention to restoring funding to violence prevention grants. The proposed closure of wading pools and reduced neighborhood pool hours also prompted elected officials to seek alternatives. Ten pools would be open only three days per week.
More than 90,000 people per year use Sacramento’s pools, said Jackie Beecham, YPCE director. Swim lessons will continue, she added.
A student program called Summer at City Hall could also be eliminated. The five-week internship experience serves as a launch point for young students vying for a career in public service, according to elected officials.
The city’s fiscal year starts on July 1, 2026. The official budget is scheduled to be adopted June 9.
This story was originally published May 5, 2026 at 6:41 PM.
