Adoption of the proposed Fiscal Year 2027 budget

Staff Report & Agenda Item Details

<strong><em>Second Reading and Public Hearing</em></strong><br><br>There was one speaker regarding this item at the September 1, City Council Meeting.<br><br><strong><em>First Reading and Public Hearing</em></strong><br><br><strong><span style="font-size: 18px;">THIS BUDGET WILL RAISE MORE TOTAL PROPERTY TAXES THAN LAST YEAR'S BUDGET BY $1,240,578 OR 6.3%, AND OF THAT AMOUNT, $207,906 IS TAX REVENUE TO BE RAISED FROM NEW PROPERTY ADDED TO THE TAX ROLL THIS YEAR.</span></strong><br><br>The annual budget represents the culmination of extensive efforts that began with the staff budget kickoff in March. The process included department submissions and detailed line-by-line internal reviews throughout the spring, followed by Council feedback during multiple worksessions. Preliminary FY 2027 budget numbers were provided to the Council in June, the 5-year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) was presented in July, and the proposed budget was delivered on August 5, 2026. The proposed budget has been available on the City's website since July 29, 2026.<br><br>This agenda item includes a public hearing on the budget and provides for its formal approval upon the second reading of the ordinance.<br><br>Attached to this agenda item is the City's proposed FY 2027 budget as originally presented. There have been no substantial changes since its initial presentation. The total proposed fund expenditures are as follows:<br><br>   <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="647" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 485pt; height: 331px;"><tbody><tr style="height: 40px;"><td height="40" class="xl65" style="padding: 0px; color: windowtext; font-size: 15px; font-weight: 700; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle; border: 0.5pt solid windowtext; background: rgb(180, 198, 231); height: 30pt; width: 244px;">Budget Category</td><td class="xl66" style="padding: 0px; color: windowtext; font-size: 15px; font-weight: 700; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center; vertical-align: bottom; border-width: 0.5pt 0.5pt 0.5pt medium; border-style: solid solid solid none; border-color: windowtext windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-image: none; background: rgb(180, 198, 231); width: 101px;">FY2026 Expenditures</td><td class="xl66" style="padding: 0px; color: windowtext; font-size: 15px; font-weight: 700; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center; vertical-align: bottom; border-width: 0.5pt 0.5pt 0.5pt medium; border-style: solid solid solid none; border-color: windowtext windowtext windowtext currentcolor; border-image: none; background: rgb(180, 198, 231); width: 96px;">FY2027 Expenditures</td><td class="xl65" style="padding: 0px; color: windowtext; font-size: 15px; font-weight: 700; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;

This motion is scored as RESTRAINS_GOVERNMENT (Impact Weight: 7.3/10). Under the Bastiat Liberty Watchdog Index, voting YES on measures that cap or reduce ad valorem tax burdens, expand taxpayer exemptions, retire debt early, enforce competitive bidding caps, or remove regulatory/zoning barriers to private property rights earns a positive Pro-Liberty score.