Isla Vista Community Services District unanimously approves 2025-2026 budget
Andrew Gillies
ISLA VISTA, Calif. – On Tuesday, the Isla Vista Community Services District unanimously approved its $1.95 million budget for the 2025-2026 fiscal year.
This was the first use of a Zero-Based Budgeting process where each department’s budget is built from the ground up in order to align with community goals shared the Isla Vista Community Services District (IVCSD) in a press release Friday.
“This budget invests strategically in programs that improve the quality of life for everyone in Isla Vista while maintaining a strong financial position for the future,” said Spencer Brandt, IVCSD Board President. “By listening to residents and applying a disciplined budgeting process, we are delivering services that meet today’s needs. As residents express increasing expectations for enhanced transportation, infrastructure, and safety services, we will need to explore additional revenue sources to ensure we can sustainably meet these emerging priorities.”
According to the IVCSD, revenues are projected to total $1,946,650 with the Utility User’s Tax expected to generate $1.53 million of that total.
That is an increase of 7.14 percent compared to last budget and serves as the primary funding source for the community services district and was passed in 2018.
In fact, Isla Vista is the only community services district in the state allowed to levy a Utility User’s Tax and the special conditions of its existence, including a two-year-term for board members and tenant mediation powers, required the passage of Assembly Bill 3 in 2015, which became California Government Code Section 61250 upon passage explained IVCSD General Manager Jonathan Abboud.
Additional funding sources include: $200,000 from a renewed seven-year agreement with UC Santa Barbara for public safety programs, $30,000 from community space rentals, $10,000 from sponsorships and sales, and $130,550 is strategic draws from fund balances to maintain operations detailed the IVCSD.
Expenditures are budgeted at $1,945,650 across the following budget destinations:
Operations including administration, support staff, and governance take up 34 percent of the budget
Community Programs and Engagement take up 33 percent of the budget expenditures and include the Isla Vista Community Center, community festivals, gardens, and outreach
Public Works and Sustainability including Isla Vista Beautiful, composting, infrastructure, and graffiti abatement are 26.5 percent of expenditures for the 2025-2026 fiscal cycle
Public Safety occupies 5.5 percent of spending primarily for Safety Stations staffed by unarmed UCPD community service officers
Housing comes in just under one percent of expenditures with growing use of the Rental Housing Mediation Program