2027-28 Budget Adoption Calendar
At a glance
Based on auto-generated captions; names and details may be misheard.
- What: the city's fiscal 2027-28 budget calendar, approved alongside a wrap-up of fiscal 2025-26 general fund results.
- Where it stands: approved by voice vote, unanimously, on October 13, 2026. The 2025-26 books closed with an ending balance $7.2 million above estimate (one-time savings), the narrowest variance in at least ten years.
- Next: department budget reviews start now; general fund status and multi-year forecast in February 2027; trial budget March 23.
Fiscal 2025-26 results
- Resources $17.7 million above estimate (0.8%); expenditures $10.5 million above (0.5%); ending balance $7.2 million above estimate.
- Councilmember Hernandez cited $2.208 billion collected and $1.94 billion spent in the general fund.
- Police, fire and parks are the three largest general fund departments, per Mertz.
Challenges for next year
- Class and compensation study and labor increases, health care and public safety pension costs, facility and fleet maintenance, about $9 million in new operating costs from the 2023 bond, and uncertain revenue.
Calendar
- Trial budget March 23, 2027; community budget hearings in April; proposed budget May 4; council budget decision May 18; tentative adoption June 2; final adoption June 16; property tax adoption July 1.
Council concerns
- Hernandez voted yes only because the calendar is required by state law, citing police spending versus housing, youth and mental health services.
- O'Brien asked for usage and cost data on the retired online budget-balancing tool; staff will provide it.
- Pastor and Vice Mayor Hodge Washington asked for outreach beyond social media; Hodge Washington wants more for the housing trust fund and flexible financial assistance.
Sources
Discussion time
About 27 minutes across 1 meeting (from transcript timestamps; approximate).
| Meeting | Minutes |
|---|---|
| 2026-10-13 - City Council Policy Session | 27 |
Log
- 2026-10-13 - City Council Policy Session - Budget director presented 2025-26 results and the 2027-28 calendar; approved unanimously by voice vote after questions on police spending and public input tools.