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Surprise council adopts tentative FY2026 budget and sets June public hearing
Summary
The Surprise City Council adopted the city's tentative FY2026 budget on May 6, directing publication and setting a June 3 public hearing; the tentative all-funds budget totals about $995 million with $393 million in operating funds and a general fund around $232 million, staff said.
The Surprise City Council voted unanimously May 6 to adopt a tentative FY2026 expenditure-limitation budget, direct its publication, and set a public hearing for June 3, 2025.
City finance staff presented a tentative all-funds budget of $995,060,000 and said the number is about 2.4% below last yearbecause the prior year included one-time bond proceeds. The staff presentation listed $393,000,000 in operating budgets and described general-fund revenue sources and allocations: local sales tax (about 44% of general fund revenue), state-shared sales tax (about 26%), and charges for services; staff reported the general fund total at roughly $232,400,000.
Staff said the council's strategic priorities guided the allocation: public safety, transportation, community experience, fiscal responsibility, economic development, transparency and water. The presentation showed public safety as the largest share of general-fund spending, with personnel services making up about 64% of the general-fund operating budget. Staff explained that the proposed property-tax rate was lowered earlier (to 0.5534 from 0.5693) and that most new general-fund increases would target public safety and public works/streets.
Councilmembers asked clarifying questions about fund transfers and the proportion of general-fund spending that goes to public safety. Staff said some differences on percentage calculations could be explained by transfers and capital-outlay accounting. Councilmembers praised the presentation's visual breakdowns and said the budget reflected the council's priorities.
The council approved Resolution No. 2025-51 to adopt the tentative expenditure-limitation budget and to publish the tentative budget; staff said a public hearing and final budget adoption would follow in June.
