Lafayette council approves 2026 budget measures, includes 3% across-the-board pay increases

Mayor (title used in transcript) and Jeremy Deal, city controller, presented the proposed 2026 city budget to the Lafayette Common Council and highlighted a package of measures that the council approved on first reading, including a 3% across-the-board raise for employees.

Jeremy Deal explained the ordinance setting compensation for elected officials and noted the 3% recommendation for elected and appointed officials. The mayor and the city controller told council members the budget assumes all positions filled for the year in its baseline and that most of the net increase in the budget is the 3% raise and associated benefits.

Council and staff discussed major drivers: public safety (police, fire, animal control) is the largest share of the general fund, with the mayor saying roughly $50 million of an approximately $57.7 million general-fund total is public-safety spending; sanitation is the next-largest single item.

Staff noted pension contribution rates for police and fire rose from 20% to 23%, adding roughly $750,000 in employer cost. The mayor described recent assessed-value growth and that the administration is monitoring legislative and assessment changes that could affect revenue through 2031.

Separately, ordinances tied to the budget were introduced and approved on first reading: Ordinance 2025-36 (2026 city budget appropriation) and Ordinance 2025-37/38/39 establishing salary adjustments for appointed and sworn personnel and for elected officials; the council conducted roll calls and approved the measures (votes recorded for each ordinance in the meeting minutes).

Councilors thanked city employees and noted personnel recognition programs, and staff said the city clinic and employee benefits remain in place. The mayor and controller said they will continue to refine numbers before final readings and that the budget assumes fiscal prudence with no new positions requested in the package.