The City’s financial outlook reveals several red flags, casting doubt on the advisability of annexing new areas. With a shrinking General Fund, rising liabilities, and a deeply negative unrestricted net position. Key funding measures like Measure P and Measure Y are failing to keep pace with public safety and infrastructure costs, increasing pressure on limited general revenues. Concerns over financial reporting accuracy further highlight internal weaknesses. Given these challenges, annexation would likely overextend the city's already strained resources and worsen service delivery for current residents.

If annexation goes through, business owners should expect to be paying significantly higher costs to operate their business in the city limits compared to the county. According to both the City’s website and to city officials, business across the board will see the cost for their licensing fees dramatically increase.

One local small business will see their fees increase by an astounding 1,250% if the annexation proposal went through. Additionally, another business owner commented how their business licensing fee for their business that is in the city limits is ten times the amount of their business that is currently in county jurisdiction.

The City of Ukiah’s Planning Commission will vote on May 28th at 6pm whether or not to “recommend to the City Council to expand the city limits.” If the Planning Commission recommends that the city does proceed with annexation, it will then be sent to the City Council to “conduct a notice public hearing to consider the recommendation.”

The meeting will be held in the City Council Chambers at 300 Seminar Avenue.

The Ukiah Valley Sanitation District (UVSD) is holding a regularly scheduled hearing on proposed sewer rate increase. This proposal would increase sanitation rates by 30% for those that receive sewer service from the UVSD. The UVSD serves almost 3,000 residents and businesses across the Ukiah Valley, many of which reside within the City of Ukiah’s boundary and would include almost all of the planned annexed areas. 

At last night’s City Council meeting, Ukiah’s councilmembers voted unanimously to let city staff move ahead with a controversial annexation proposal that would nearly triple the city’s geographic size. The proposed expansion would extend the city limits from just south of Calpella all the way to Burke Hill.

Link to article: https://mendovoice.com/2025/04/ukiah-city-council-considering-annexing-more-land-surrounding-city-at-wednesday-meeting/

The City Council on Wednesday at 5:15 PM will discuss annexation and whether or not to direct staff to continue to research annexation.

If Ukiah cannot properly manage the problems that already exist within its borders, how can we be confident in its ability to effectively govern and support the expanded area? Until fundamental issues are resolved, expanding the city’s footprint only adds to the complexity without solving the root problems.

“The Ukiah City Council this week approved moving forward with an ordinance to help "preserve and protect agricultural lands" as the city prepares for more potential annexation of land currently in Mendocino County jurisdiction.”

Open letter to the community from Ross Liberty opposing Ukiah’s annexation