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Independence council adopts $42.9 million budget, elects to receive state shared revenues
Summary
The Independence City Council adopted the fiscal year 2025-26 budget totaling $42,934,809, approved appropriations of $40,008,918, set the permanent property tax rate and voted to elect to receive state shared revenues after a public hearing.
The City of Independence on June 10 adopted its fiscal year 2025-26 budget and voted to elect to receive state shared revenues.
Councilors approved Resolution No. 25-1635 adopting a budget “in the sum of $42,934,809,” approving appropriations of $40,008,918 and imposing property taxes at the city’s full permanent rate of 4.5897 per $1,000 of assessed value; the council also set $400,341 for debt service on general obligation bonds. A separate resolution to elect to receive state shared revenues for fiscal 2025-26 was put before the council after its required public hearing and was moved for approval during the same meeting cycle.
The council opened a public hearing on the budget and heard no testimony that altered the staff recommendation. Staff told the council the adopted resolution incorporates corrections recommended by auditors in the city’s 2023-24 audit; those corrections will be reflected in the next quarterly financial report. Councilors and staff described the budget process as lengthy and difficult; several speakers urged engagement with state legislators about structural revenue issues affecting municipal budgets.
Action on the budget was moved and seconded on the council floor. At roll call the council recorded affirmative votes for the budget adoption. One council member reiterated earlier objections to the package during discussion but the formal roll call recorded approval.
What the decisions mean: the city will operate under the adopted appropriations for FY25-26 and is authorized to receive state shared revenues as provided under Oregon law, which allows cities that formally accept those funds to receive distributions from the state. The resolution numbers recorded in the meeting packet were 25-1635 for the budget adoption and a related resolution to elect to receive state shared revenues (recorded in the transcript as a council action immediately following the budget hearing).
Staff follow-up: city staff said they will incorporate the audit corrections in upcoming financial reports and continue community outreach on long-term fiscal options.
For readers: the council held the budget public hearing as part of its statutory budget-adoption process; property tax rate and appropriations shown above were the amounts reported on the resolution presented to the council.
