A split vote moves the purchase forward

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — The Bakersfield City Council voted 4–2 on August 26 to finance the purchase of the 10-story Truxtun Tower for expanded city and police offices, according to KGET reporting distributed by AOL. Councilmembers Zack Bashirtash and Ken Weir voted no; Vice Mayor Manpreet Kaur was absent.

The downtown building at 1430 and 1440 Truxtun Avenue contains approximately 127,504 square feet and a 2.3-acre parking garage. The reported purchase price is $13.35 million, with more than $1 million in additional expenses and improvements described by city officials.

The vote followed the council's March 11 approval of a lease with an option to buy. That earlier motion passed 5–1, with Bashirtash opposed, and included $400,000 for due diligence before a purchase decision. The two votes covered different stages of the transaction and should not be treated as conflicting tallies.

Read the source: KGET via AOL: August 26 purchase vote, financing and relocation timeline ↗

How the city is financing the deal

The August action authorized a $12.1 million interfund loan from the city's Equipment Fund for the purchase. KGET reported that the loan carries 2.5% interest over 12 years. An interfund loan moves money between city funds and creates a repayment obligation; it is not free financing merely because the lender is another municipal fund.

The council also approved $2.5 million from the Capital Facility Reserve for the purchase and improvements. The available reports do not provide a final line-item construction budget, identify every planned contract or show a complete schedule comparing debt service, renovation costs, tenant income and avoided rent.

City staff argued that ownership would produce short- and long-term savings. They estimated a replacement lease for current California Avenue police space at approximately $1.1 million a year. That avoided-rent figure is part of the city's case for buying, but it is not by itself a full payback analysis.

Read the source: 23ABC: Planned police move and expected downtown use ↗

What will move—and when

Bakersfield police told 23ABC that the department expects to occupy the first four floors to address space needs and improve coordination with its downtown headquarters. KGET reported that the investigations and training units are expected to relocate in early 2027, depending on completion of improvements.

Existing tenants include the Kern County Superintendent of Schools and two law firms. Officials expect approximately 21% of the tower to remain available for other tenants, whose rent could help offset building costs. No reviewed source guarantees a particular occupancy rate or annual revenue.

The project may also add 94 parking spaces to city inventory, bringing the reported total at the property to 292. Parking, tenant retention and reuse of an existing downtown building are possible public benefits, but they should be measured after the purchase and renovations rather than assumed in advance.

Read the source: BakersfieldNow: March lease vote, purchase option and due diligence ↗

The public accounting still needed

The strongest case for the project will be a transparent record showing the final acquisition price, improvement contracts, debt payments, operating costs, rental income, avoided leases and the date police units actually move. Those figures would let residents test the city's savings claim over the same 12-year period as the interfund loan.

The split vote does not establish that the purchase was improper, and council approval does not establish that every projected saving will materialize. It shows elected officials reached different judgments about using public funds, interest costs and the information available before closing.

The accompanying image is an authentic 2011 photograph of Bakersfield City Hall by Skyman9999, released under the CC0 1.0 public-domain dedication. It provides context for the City Council decision and does not depict Truxtun Tower, a police unit, the August meeting or construction work.

Read the source: Bakersfield Police Department: Official department information ↗

Sources and further reading

KGET via AOL: August 26 purchase vote, financing and relocation timeline ↗

23ABC: Planned police move and expected downtown use ↗

BakersfieldNow: March lease vote, purchase option and due diligence ↗

Bakersfield Police Department: Official department information ↗

Wikimedia Commons: Bakersfield City Hall photograph and CC0 license ↗