City Council approved the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 budget at its Sept. 8 meeting. The budget reflects the City’s continued commitment to fiscal responsibility while advancing the strategic priorities that support quality of life in our city.
As in previous years, the budget is built on the rollback millage rate. Building the budget on the rollback rate means that any additional spending proposed by Council will have to be justified and explained how it will be paid for.
The approved budget addresses all of the City’s major needs, fully funding operations and services provided to the public.
This budget also fully funds contributions to the Infrastructure Maintenance Accrual, Equipment Accrual, and Vehicle Accrual (totaling roughly $14M) and does not tap into reserves. Our accruals are another way in which we plan ahead to ensure the City is always prepared to pay for future needs.
Some other highlights from the budget include:
- Our Police and Fire Departments will get the vehicles and personnel that they need to continue doing an excellent job.
- Major travel corridors like Jones Bridge Road will be re-beautified with lots of new trees so the community continues to look and feel like home.
- Barnwell Trail is funded (from the intersection improvement at Barnwell Road and Niblick Drive) up to North Peak. This project will complete a continuous pedestrian connection from Old Alabama down to Holcomb Bridge.
The FY2026 budget advances our strategic priorities, provides for the maintenance of our existing assets and infrastructure, and works within our existing revenues without making use of reserves.