The City Council held the required public hearing on the proposed Fiscal Year 2027 Annual Budget on August 17, 2026. The final proposed budget reflects Council direction and the City's final STW budget detail. It provides the legal spending authority for municipal operations, debt service, capital projects and other fund activity during FY 2027. The proposed budget covers 19 funds. Across all funds, proposed revenues total $25,192,567 and proposed expenditures total $26,710,967. The approximately $1,518,400 difference is supported by planned uses of available balances in designated special-purpose, capital and project funds. The General Fund includes $10,262,066 in revenue and $10,262,067 in expenditures, an essentially balanced operating plan after rounding. The plan does not use a Strategic Initiative Fund transfer for ongoing operations, includes $314,105 in eligible RHDC support for Parks and Recreation, includes the five-year capital improvement plan, and preserves the policy objective of at least a 90-day General Fund reserve.

Bastiat Liberty & Property Rights Analysis

This motion is scored as EXPANDS_GOVERNMENT (Impact Weight: 7.3/10). Under the Bastiat Liberty Watchdog Index, measures that increase tax rates or fee schedules, issue new debt or Certificates of Obligation, expand regulatory/zoning restrictions on private land use, or authorize unbudgeted spending expansions reduce an official's Freedom Score when voted YES (and reward dissenting NO votes).