A $678,396 swing in one year
Kern’s Automated Fingerprint Fund received $145,819 in 2024–25 and transferred out $71,750, leaving $74,069. The 2025–26 adopted budget lowers revenue to $120,000 and authorizes $724,327 in other financing uses.
That is a 17.7% revenue decline and a 909.5% increase in transfers. The net result moves to a $604,327 shortfall, a $678,396 reversal from the latest actual year.
The calculation uses Schedule 9, printed page 196. Fines supply $100,000 of adopted revenue and interest supplies $20,000.
| Measure | 2024–25 actual | 2025–26 adopted | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $145,819 | $120,000 | −17.7% |
| Transfers out | $71,750 | $724,327 | +909.5% |
| Net result | +$74,069 | −$604,327 | −$678,396 |
Equipment, staffing and reserve effects are not itemized
The one-page budget does not say whether the transfer buys equipment, supports staffing in another unit or draws down a restricted reserve. It also reports no fingerprint transactions, turnaround times or system uptime.
The finding is financial, not operational: the county authorized a transfer more than six times the fund’s expected annual revenue. The receiving-unit ledger and year-end balance are necessary to evaluate sustainability.
Sources and further reading
Kern County FY2025–26 Adopted Budget — Automated Fingerprint Fund, printed p196 ↗
National Archives fingerprint photograph and public-domain record ↗