There are two files:

This amendment has been adjusted to reflect input from the administration and every Council member and seeks to responsibly balance several important goals:

Moving forward, the Council and administration will need to continue working together to identify new revenue sources and long-term structural solutions.  And the administration will have to actively manages recurring costs and operational efficiencies to rebuild our surplus and ensure we enter the 2027 budget cycle from a more stable financial position

This amendment may not fully achieve every individual goal discussed throughout this process, but we believe it represents a balanced and responsible approach that incorporates priorities raised by all members of the Council. 

Steve, you emphasized the importance of rebuilding surplus to maintain our rating and we further increased that ratio from approximately 8.0% to 8.4%. Mike, you advocated for deeper healthcare savings and while we did not reach the full level discussed, we incorporated meaningful reductions. Caitlyn, you stressed the importance of balancing tax relief with surplus regeneration, which this proposal seeks to accomplish. Paul, you pushed for structural improvements and the lowest tax increase possible, and while we all share the goal of getting to single digits, this amendment includes reductions to overtime and salaries and meaningfully reduces the burden from the introduced budget.  Joe and Phil, you emphasized the importance of long-term sustainability, and we believe this proposal better positions the City financially moving forward.

Will there still be tax pressure next year? Realistically, yes. We continue to face increasing debt service obligations tied to prior capital investments, rising healthcare costs, and contractual salary increases for municipal and public safety employees. Together, these categories represent approximately 75% of the City’s budget and will continue to grow.

At the same time, heading into 2027, we will be budgeting from a more stable position, with significantly lower reliance on general surplus than historic levels, additional ratable growth, the full-year benefit of several revenue measures already adopted, and hopefully a year’s worth of additional efficiencies, cost savings, and revenue opportunities identified collaboratively by the Council and administration.

We also believe that beginning the budget process earlier next year will improve our ability to respond to the financial challenges ahead, including evaluating shared service opportunities and healthcare plan optimization.

Lastly, and most importantly, we now have an administration committed to transparency, collaboration, and proactive financial management focused on long-term, sustainable solutions that meet our residents’ needs.

Thank you all for your continued work throughout this process.

Tiffanie, Diane and Ruben