​Midpen Directors Approve $81M Budget

LOS ALTOS, CA — The Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District on Wednesday finalized its $81 million budget for the fiscal year of July 1, 2020, to June 30, 2021.

In a release, the Midpen district said its general fund expenditures will stay flat, and the budget allows for no new staff positions. The full budget is available online.

According to the release, capital expenditures make up some $28 million of the budget, $37 million will go toward operating expenses and $17 million are allocated for debt service. Midpen estimates revenue at just more than $82 million.

The budget's Capital Improvement and Action Plan includes 74 projects, including installing a wildlife crossing at Highway 17, expanding public and ADA access and more. Of those projects, 32 percent are eligible for reimbursement though Measure AA.

Midpen said projects are balanced across program areas as follows: 18 percent to land acquisition and preservation, 27 percent to natural resource protection and restoration, 31 percent to public access, education and outreach, and 24 percent to assets and organizational support.

Projects include:

• Continuing the Highway 17 wildlife corridor to create animal crossings for mountain lions and other wildlife
• Removing barriers to provide ADA access to programs, services and activities.
• Prepare the Bear Creek Redwoods Preserve for increased public access and constructing the Alma cultural landscape area and new trails
• Finish the Wildland Fire Resilience Program to support fire prevention and preparedness
• Continue mapping vegetation in San Mateo County and kick off a similar new program in Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties.
• Put funding toward the extention of a regional trail from Saratoga to the Pacific Ocean by way of the Saratoga to the Skyline Trail project

The release states 73 percent of Midpen's funding comes from property taxes, 20 percent comes from bond reimbursements, and 7 percent comes from grants, interest rental and other income.