Buena Park is grappling with questions regarding its spending priorities after voting to allocate over $700,000 toward transitioning a portion of the city’s vehicle fleet to electric models. The expense, which is intended to facilitate the shift away from traditional vehicles, has prompted debate over whether the expenditure is justifiable given the city’s current financial standing.
The Proposed EV Infrastructure Upgrade
During a recent city council meeting, council members passed a proposal 3-2 that commits funds for five electric vehicles and nine charging stations. This initiative is structured under the Charge Ready Transport Program, a state-funded effort managed by the California Public Utilities Commission and administered by Southern California Edison. The vote occurred against the backdrop of the city’s adopted revised budget, which indicates a deficit exceeding $2.2 million for the 2026-2027 fiscal year.
Staff reports noted that state regulations require 100% of all newly purchased vehicles weighing over 8,500 pounds to be zero-emission by the coming year. Furthermore, two California bills mandate that the state reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40% before 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions by 2045.
Arguments for Electrification
Proponents of the plan highlighted the necessity of adopting cleaner energy sources to meet state and local environmental goals. Lotus Thai, the Buena Park Sustainability Manager, pointed out that to achieve these objectives, the city must convert roughly 20 of its current vehicles (representing 11% of the fleet) and install 10 dual-port charging stations by 2030.
According to Thai, while the city would be responsible for initial spending, the Charge Ready Transport Program will reimburse approximately $197,000. City staff argued that fully financing the project themselves would necessitate spending over a million dollars, meaning the program saves the city $550,000. Councilwoman Susan Sonne emphasized the urgency, stating, “Knowing that these grants are becoming fewer and further between, this is a direction that we need to go in to achieve our climate goals, that it will only become more expensive.” She added, “I think it’s incumbent upon us to take advantage of this opportunity and save the city that over half a million dollars that we would have to take on ourselves to do it without the grant.”
Concerns Over Timing and Finances
The proposal led to immediate questions concerning the city’s spending priorities. Councilman Carlos Franco expressed reservations, stating, “I am a little reluctant to make an immediate approval on something that feels rushed and isn’t immediately necessary to the city of Buena Park, considering that we’re spending about $700,000 from the city’s budget.”
Franco also raised concerns about the nature of the program, noting that the 10-year operating requirement for the charging stations would commit the city to specific EVs even as technology evolves. He also pointed out that one public charging station had been undergoing repairs for a substantial period. “I’m really glad that we have a 10-year warranty on these electric chargers. I fear that members of the public would be a little saddened that the access to their chargers are not fully repaired when they’d like to charge their vehicles,” he stated.
Countering the concerns, Councilwoman Joyce Ahn supported the initiative, pointing out that the council had directed staff to apply for the grant only months prior. She noted that a previous council-approved project had already funded 13 EVs, making the current purchase of five EVs bring the city’s total zero-emission vehicles to 18.
Mayor Connor Traut, who is running for OC Supervisor, expressed that he was conflicted due to the city’s difficult financial situation, but ultimately supported the resolution because the council had already initiated the grant application. He voiced concern over future financial planning, stating, “I just would be concerned with risking downsizing something in a year or two that still costs us a ton of money, we don’t even build out the infrastructure for it entirely, and then we’re screwed in a future budget because now we’re having to invest more to expand this project.”
Vice Mayor Lamiya Hoque echoed the concerns about financial timing and scale, recalling that the council had recently instructed department heads to reduce spending. Both Hoque and Franco suggested that the council should establish a dedicated funding strategy, such as a sustainability fund, to manage and plan for future proposals to convert the city’s fleet to electric vehicles. Hoque urged that such substantial investments be integrated into the budget planning process rather than appearing as disconnected, unfunded expenditures.
