Council Confronts $15M Deficit as Antioch Strips Budget to Bare Bones

Antioch's City Council began the painful work of closing a $15 million general fund hole Tuesday night, reviewing a skeleton budget that eliminates recreation, the marina, and vehicle replacement — and still comes up short. The council also approved a $662,000 surveillance technology swap, rallied around saving a century-old theater, and delayed a police-monitor contract that drew sharp fiscal objections.

• Council strips city budget to legal minimums and still faces a $3.5M gap, setting the stage for months of difficult choices on services and staffing
• $662,000 Axon contract replaces controversial Flock camera network with a privacy-first surveillance platform and AI language translation for officers
• Seven residents rally to save the El Campanile Theater from church conversion, calling it Antioch's last grand arts venue
• Police settlement monitor contract delayed after Mayor Pro Tem Freitas challenges flat-rate billing and missing invoices
• Community members demand action on viral racial harassment incident targeting a Black homeowner, with the mayor pledging the behavior "will not be tolerated"
• City must halve water losses by 2028 after adopting new state-mandated water management plan

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The $15 Million Question: Can Antioch Cut Its Way Out?

The basics: The city's first FY 2027-28 budget study session laid bare the scale of Antioch's fiscal crisis. Finance Director Merchant presented a "legally mandated baseline" — a budget stripped of every service the city isn't required by law to provide — to show council members how deep the deficit runs.

Why it matters: Even after eliminating recreation services, closing the marina, suspending the $1.8 million vehicle replacement set-aside, and zeroing out computer replacement funds, the city still faces an approximately $3.5 million gap. The exercise makes clear that cuts alone cannot balance the books.

Where things stand: The $15.2 million projected shortfall is driven by multiple forces hitting at once: new police union COLA costs ($745,000), declining sales tax revenue ($1.1 million in regular sales tax plus $538,000 in Measure W), and the removal of $1.2 million previously earmarked for the Homekey Plus project. Recreation — one of the city's most visible services — would be reduced to $3.3 million just for building insurance and pool chemicals if eliminated entirely.

"None of these baseline numbers are what city departments recommend. We're not proposing this to be the draft budget. Some of these cuts would be detrimental to the departments, essentially decimating the work that they do," said Finance Director Merchant.

Mayor Pro Tem Donald Freitas warned the public not to panic, noting the baseline is a floor, not a plan. "That does not mean when it says elimination of certain departments or individuals or things that that's what's going to happen. But we needed to have a bare bones budget and we're kind of starting from that point," he said.

The other side: Councilmember Tamisha Torres-Walker pushed back on the idea that austerity alone could work. "The only way to actually cure the deficit without completely devastating working families in Antioch who water rates are going up, whose property taxes are going up, who are suffering from inflation, to see them paying more to receive less is kind of drastic," she said, calling for real economic development strategy and revenue growth.

Standalone Economic Development Department Gets Green Light

Council reached consensus on one concrete structural change: separating economic development from community development into its own department. Mayor Ron Bernal proposed creating a department head and specialist to start, with the new director choosing additional staff.

"The city of Antioch has not had a truly economic development plan or implementation for six to eight years and it has failed us because of that. Look at the sales tax rate," Mayor Bernal said.

Mayor Bernal also argued the position should be the city's top hiring priority, calling for a competitive salary. "We need to attract somebody that's an expert in this field. And I think it's important that we pay with what the market drives," he said. Finance Director Merchant noted the cost difference between a senior program manager and a full director is roughly $100,000 ($260,000 vs. $360,000 in salary and benefits) and cautioned about salary equity implications across other department directors. Staff was directed to conduct a salary survey of comparable positions at other agencies.

What's next: The next study session will cover recreation, community services, and community resources departments. Police and public works will each get standalone sessions. No binding decisions were made Tuesday — this was explicitly a preliminary review.

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Axon Replaces Flock: Privacy-First Surveillance System Approved

Why it matters: Antioch is consolidating its fragmented surveillance camera network onto a single platform that its police department says offers stronger privacy protections — a direct response to years of community concern about how Flock Safety's network-sharing model handles personal data.

Where things stand: Lieutenant Maloney presented the 49-month, $661,688 sole-source agreement with Axon Enterprise covering three components: 55 fixed automatic license plate reader (ALPR) locations replacing the existing Flock and Motorola Vigilant systems, six additional dash cameras with ALPR capability for patrol vehicles, and 120 licenses for Axon's AI-powered language translation assistant covering 50-plus languages.

The results from existing ALPR deployment are notable: since August 2025, the technology has located at least 42 stolen vehicles (23 leading to arrests), and auto theft is down 44%. The net cost increase over Flock alone is approximately $2,500 per year for significantly expanded coverage.

"Axon's governance materials have sharing off by default. Antioch would have to establish a specific sharing relationship with another agency. It's a one-to-one relation. It's not an opt in to a network, which is how the current system operates," Lieutenant Maloney explained. Data retention is limited to 30 days, the city owns all its data, and all searches require a case number and investigative reason.

The other side: Privacy advocates pushed back hard. Mike Katz-Lakabe, research director of Oakland Privacy, urged a no vote, arguing the sole-source procurement lacked competitive bidding, the staff report provided anecdotes rather than rigorous effectiveness analysis, and that ALPR technology enables mass surveillance and pattern-of-life tracking. Frank Sterling echoed concerns about abuse potential given the Antioch Police Department's troubled history.

Councilmember Torres-Walker supported the move specifically to get away from Flock. "I'm excited to see that there'll be AI translation available for all of our peace officers in the city," she said.

Decisions: The motion passed 4-0 (For: Rocha, Torres-Walker, Freitas, Bernal; Absent: Wilson) with an amendment requiring annual reporting to council once the system is implemented.

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"Save Our Theater": Residents Rally to Preserve El Campanile

Why it matters: The El Campanile Theater — a nearly century-old performance venue in downtown Antioch's Rivertown district — is reportedly in escrow to a congregation, and residents say losing it would eliminate the city's only grand arts space and undercut years of downtown revitalization efforts.

Where things stand: Seven community members delivered impassioned pleas during public comment. Raquel Herrera, a lifelong resident whose family has operated a shoe repair business at Summersville Town Center for 30 years, urged the city to explore purchasing the property or creating a public-private partnership, citing Pittsburgh's successful renovation of its historic California Theater as a model.

Joy Mott of the Celebrate Antioch Foundation was more pointed, criticizing council for lacking a strategic plan to revitalize downtown and noting the city had previously rejected 900 signatures supporting an $8 million state grant for a community event space.

Michael Sobel, who has ushered at the theater for 17 years, invoked a cautionary tale: the city already lost the Stam Theater when it was converted to a church. Nicole Hall, an international dance teacher, recalled that the congregation that took over the Stam painted over its historic murals.

Erin Green, a downtown business owner who said she chose Antioch specifically because of the theater, argued the building is unsuitable for a congregation — no meeting spaces, classrooms, kitchen, or parking — and emphasized that the theater drives foot traffic and sales tax for surrounding businesses.

Councilmember Torres-Walker noted during council communications that she and Mayor Pro Tem Freitas have been having conversations about the theater since 2025 in connection with the Carnegie Library, pushing back on characterizations that council has been ignoring the issue.

What's next: No formal action was taken. The comments put the council on notice that residents expect an intervention — through acquisition, historic preservation funding, or creative partnerships — before the sale closes.

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Police Monitor Contract Stalls Over Billing Dispute

Why it matters: Antioch's Allen settlement — a legal agreement governing police department reforms — requires compliance within five years. But the contract amendment to pay the settlement's outside monitor drew sharp fiscal objections that could delay progress.

Where things stand: Mayor Bernal pulled Consent Item K, a proposed first amendment to the professional services agreement with MS Investigative Services (consultant Sepal) for Allen settlement monitoring at $150,000 annually in $12,500 monthly installments. This would bring the total consultant cost to $400,000 per year, adding to the existing $250,000 DOJ monitoring contract.

Mayor Pro Tem Freitas raised multiple objections: the 71% cost increase, the flat monthly rate rather than hourly billing, the charging of labor rates for travel time instead of mileage, and the failure to provide previously requested billing records.

"I am absolutely opposed to $12,500 quarterly billing. I think it's wrong," Mayor Pro Tem Freitas said, noting this would create the city's most expensive consultant agreement.

Captain Bauer and the police chief argued urgency, stating the Allen settlement law firm already has concerns about lack of movement and that the consultant has been working without compensation on settlement items.

Councilmember Torres-Walker proposed calling a special meeting to resolve the issue rather than waiting for the Sept. 8 regular meeting, noting the city risks being found in violation of the settlement.

Decisions: No vote was taken. Staff was directed to bring the item back with billing records and fiscal clarifications.

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Racial Harassment Incident Draws Community Outcry

Why it matters: A viral incident involving racial harassment of a Black single mother homeowner has again thrust Antioch into a national spotlight over racial equity — a sore subject given the city's recent history with its police department.

Where things stand: Multiple public commenters described ongoing harassment of a homeowner identified as Ethel Baker, whose neighbor has been using racial slurs including the N-word for over a year. Ron Muhammad explained the dispute originated over excessive cats whose waste was compromising the health of Baker's immunocompromised, wheelchair-bound son, and criticized the HOA for not acting.

Leslie May, a 74-year-old resident, reported that after attending a community support rally, she was targeted online by the perpetrator's associates with slurs calling supporters "chimps and monkeys." She said she had filed reports with the FBI Cyber Crimes division and would press charges. Crystal Law criticized the mayor's initial response as focused more on condemning backlash than addressing the racism itself.

Councilmember Torres-Walker spoke at length during council communications, connecting the incident to broader statistics on violence against Black women. "Every time the City of Antioch makes national news it's always for human rights and racial equity violations against the Black community and other communities of color," she said.

Mayor Bernal responded directly: "The racist comments and activity in that neighborhood where Ms. Baker lives are completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated in our community," he said, pledging to be part of community discussions on addressing the situation.

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City Must Halve Water Losses to Meet 2028 State Standard

Why it matters: Antioch adopted its state-required 2025 Urban Water Management Plan, but the data inside reveals a looming compliance deadline: the city's current water loss rate is double what state law will require by 2028.

Where things stand: Consultant Bo Chow of Blackwater Consulting Engineers presented the plan, which is required every five years for urban water suppliers with more than 3,000 connections. Antioch serves 34,000 connections, delivering approximately 5 billion gallons annually to a population of about 120,000. The city met its 2020 per capita water use target of 165 gallons per day, and water use is projected to increase 0.65% annually.

The problem: Antioch's current water loss rate of 19.6 gallons per service connection per day is more than double the 2028 state standard of 9.55 GPSCD. Failure to meet the standard could disqualify the city from state grants and loans critical to infrastructure improvements.

Decisions: Adopted 4-0 (For: Rocha, Torres-Walker, Freitas, Bernal; Absent: Wilson).

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Sycamore Drive Safety Fixes Approved; More Projects in Pipeline

Why it matters: Fatal crashes on Sycamore Drive prompted the traffic calming project, and the next high-priority corridor — James Donlin — has seen tragic auto accidents as well.

Where things stand: Director Bunting presented the Sycamore Drive project as the first of three prioritized traffic calming improvements. James Donlin will go to bid this fall with construction expected in winter/spring. The third project on 10th Street is more complex due to its residential character. Bunting also reported that bids opened that day for a neighborhood speed bump project with a favorable price that may allow extending coverage to additional neighborhoods.

Mayor Bernal asked about sideshow deterrents at intersections like Blue Rock and Frederickson. Director Bunting described working with a traffic consultant on bolt-down deterrent devices and striping changes for residential intersections, similar to delineators already placed at Dallas Ranch and Pruitt. Councilmember Torres-Walker distinguished between large-scale sideshows at major intersections and single-car spinouts in neighborhoods, asking about solutions for larger locations. Director Bunting acknowledged those intersections are more complex and may require proactive enforcement rather than physical deterrents.

Decisions: Approved 4-0 (For: Rocha, Torres-Walker, Freitas, Bernal; Absent: Wilson).

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Minor Items

• Dr. Loretta Azife, former CFO of UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business, was appointed to the Sales Tax Citizens Oversight Committee. Approved 4-0.
• Consent calendar approved 4-0 (minus pulled items H and K).
• Proclamation honoring Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Incorporated Omega Kappa Zeta Chapter approved 4-0.
• City investment portfolio ($122 million under PFM Asset Management) earned $1.2 million in quarterly interest and outperformed its benchmark by 46 basis points. Informational only.
• New city employees introduced across city clerk, code enforcement, IT, parks and recreation, police, and public works departments.
• Councilmember Torres-Walker requested the Biddy Lumberyard be placed back on the city's capital improvement plan to avoid Surplus Land Act constraints that would prioritize affordable housing developers if the lot returns to the speculative market.
• Mr. Becker urged the city to review proposed California opportunity zones before the public comment deadline closes, arguing Antioch has missed previous rounds.
• Mark Jordan complained about inadequate code enforcement at a gas station and modular home sales office on Lone Tree Way, citing exposed electrical and unauthorized equipment storage.
• Margie Carroll disputed characterizations that the previous council left Antioch without a homelessness plan, citing a transitional housing project for 140 people, a crisis response team, and other initiatives.
• Meeting adjourned at 10:44 p.m. Councilmember Monica Wilson was absent for the regular session.