City Council adopts final millage and budget; adds public-safety positions, 1% COLA and 3% pay adjustment

The City Council approved the final ad valorem millage and the fiscal year 2025–26 budget following required public hearings, voting 5–0 to adopt the millage resolution and the budget resolution.

Finance Director Jeff Cooper presented the millage and budget details. He said the council was being asked to adopt a final ad valorem millage of 5.1128 and explained that the rate is about 6.27% above the rollback rate of 4.811 (the rollback rate being a statutory calculation of tax-neutral revenue). Cooper described typical property-tax calculations and said staff recommended approval of the millage resolution. The council voted to adopt resolution 2025-097R (millage) on voice roll-call 5–0.

Cooper then presented the proposed fiscal 2025–26 budget and the accompanying public hearing. Key figures and items he cited included: - Total proposed budget: $214,800,000 (staff said this represented a 31.5% decrease from the current fiscal year, primarily because large public‑safety projects were funded in the current year and are not repeated…