Fiscal Sustainability
Background Information on Measure H, the 2024 Sales Tax Measure to Address City of Lafayette's Fiscal Challenges
Since Lafayette was incorporated in 1968 as a limited-service City, we have been very proud to have been able to keep expenses down and consistently balance our budgets. However, due to recent cost increases – on everything from contracted materials and labor for street maintenance, to insurance, to additional unfunded mandates being imposed by the State – we are now faced with a structural deficit of more than $2M annually, which represents approximately 10% of the City’s General Fund budget.
The City Council considered several funding options to address this deficit and ultimately decided to ask Lafayette voters to authorize a local sales tax increase of 1/2% (a half-penny on every taxable dollar spent locally) to address this set of challenges. This initiative, Measure H appeared on the November 5, 2024 ballot and was approved by Lafayette voters.
- Read the open letter to the community #4 (December 2024)
- Read the open letter to the community #3 (October 2024)
- Watch a presentation about the City’s finances and Measure H (posted Oct. 18, 2024)
- Read Information about Measure H, the Lafayette Sales Tax Measure (posted Sept. 13, 2024)
- Read the FAQs (updated Oct. 30, 2024)
- Read the open letter to the community #2 (July 2024)
- Watch a recording of the July 22 City Council Meeting when the funding measure was placed on the on November 5, 2024 Ballot, or read the agenda packet
- Watch a recording of the July 8 City Council meeting discussion about placing a sales tax measure on the ballot, or read the Staff Report
- Read the announcement, Sales Tax Measure Being Considered for Lafayette Voters to Decide on November Ballot
- Watch the Staff presentation to City Council seeking direction about placing a sales tax measure on the ballot or read the June 10, 2024 staff report
- Watch the Staff presentation on Budget Reduction Options and Impacts at the June 10 City council Meeting or read the Staff Report
- Read the open letter to community members (June 2024)
- Read the May 2024 issue of Lafayette Vistas to learn more about why this City is facing a deficit.
- Read the January 2024 issue of Lafayette Vistas to learn more about the convoluted world of City finances.
- Visit www.lovelafayette.org/budget to learn more about the budget process and how you can get involved.
- Download the most recent Annual Comprehensive Fiscal Report, which details what was actually spent and received each fiscal year
Connect with us and find out what's going on in Lafayette
The Main City Offices are located at 3675 Mt. Diablo Blvd., #210 Lafayette, CA 94549. We are open Monday through Friday 8 am to 5 pm (No walks-in on Fridays; visits by appointment only). If you have a question about fiscal sustainability, call us at (925) 284-1968 or send an email toNews
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Meet Your Team: Jennifer Wakeman
Jennifer Wakeman is the City’s Assistant Administrative Services Director
As Assistant Administrative Services Director, Jennifer Wakeman fulfills vital roles encompassing several City areas: Finance, Human Resources, and Risk Management.
Wakeman has worked at the City for more than ten years. She says, "I have lived in Lafayette and my children go to school here. I grew up in Moraga and have always appreciated the area's sense of community and quality of life.”
For Finance, she oversees all accounting processes and reporting, investments, debt management, internal controls, and budget tracking. Her priorities in this aspect of her job are accuracy, good partnerships with the operating departments, and transparency.
For Human Resources, Wakeman manages the benefit plans and handles offboarding of separating employees. Having good rapport with and being accessible to the City’s employees are of particular focus for Wakeman.
Her Risk Management duties include providing census and other required information for insurance renewals and she serves as an alternate Board member for the Municipal Pooling Authority.
Under Jennifer’s able management, the City has earned the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting every year for the past 8 years. This award recognizes the City’s commitment to going beyond the minimum requirements of generally accepted accounting principles, while promoting the spirit of transparency and full disclosure.
"A typical day starts with me arriving at the office, checking in with staff, handling emails, and then getting down to work. On any given day, this could involve scheduled meetings, reviewing accounting work, developing procedures and processes, drafting policies, preparing annual reports, conducting research, and following up on staff requests—along with any unscheduled meetings," Wakeman explains.
When asked what she likes most about working here, Wakeman confidently states, "I value the accessibility of my colleagues at all levels of the organization and the City's strong support for professional development."
After graduating with a B.S. in Finance and Marketing from Boston College’s Carroll School of Management in 2002, she earned a master’s degree in public management from CSU East Bay in 2013. She holds leadership certificates from the Walnut Creek Chamber of Commerce and the Contra Costa County Leadership Academy.
Wakeman worked as the Assistant to the Town Manager for finance in Moraga for one year. She then progressed to the role of Moraga’s Finance Manager and Deputy Town Clerk until September 2006.
She also served the City of Walnut Creek as its Senior Accountant for seven and a half years and as Interim Finance Manager for nearly a year before joining the City of Lafayette.
Wakeman maintains professional membership with -- and is especially active in -- the CSMFO (California Society of Municipal Finance Officers), an organization whose vision is to be the preeminent resource for promoting excellence in government finance. In addition to serving as chair for a number of committees and establishing programs for mentorship and student engagement, Wakeman currently serves as the President-Elect. In 2019, the California Society of Municipal Finance Officers named her their Volunteer of the Year.
She has been a Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) member since 2004 and a member of the Municipal Management Association of Northern California since 2006.
In 2022, Wakeman was appointed by the State Controller to be a Commissioner on the California Uniform Construction Cost Accounting Commission for a three-year term. She is one of only two city representatives for the state on this Commission.
In her free time, she stays busy with her kids, who are involved in activities at Springhill Elementary, Stanley Middle School, Acalanes High School, Springbrook Pool, the Lafayette-Moraga Youth Association for Sports, and the Lafayette Little League.
Reach Jennifer Wakeman at (925) 299-3213. See more about the Finance Division.
This is a series of articles intended to introduce to the community key members of the City’s Team of employees who serve Lafayette’s residents through their respective position and areas of expertise.