Hopewell council reviews FY2026 budget proposal, hears public concerns and adopts tax rates as presented

City staff on April 8 presented a proposed FY2026 operating and capital budget that, according to staff, totals $233,528,338 in all funds. The council also voted to adopt the tax rates as presented; staff said the action does not increase the tax rate.

Finance staffer Stacy Jordan briefed council on the FY26 proposal, saying the proposed total of all funds required for operations is $233,528,338 and that proposed general fund revenues total $70,409,665, an increase the presentation tied primarily to reassessed real-estate values. “The general fund increase for ‘26 was primarily applied to city council’s approval of the class of compensation plan for the public safety department and 3% of COLA increases for other employees,” Jordan said.

Jordan told council the school operating transfer would remain at $13.5 million and that there was no proposed adjustment to the tax rate in the presentation. She described limited capital funding in the proposal and noted departmental requests for capital projects over a five-year horizon. When asked by Councilor Stokes whether public-safety raises were supported in the budget, Jordan said the increases for police and fire are included: “Yes. The budget is ... balanced with the idea that police and fire will receive increases based on the class and comp study.”

During the statutorily required public hearing on the tax rate, several residents said reassessment-driven increases in their bills were creating financial hardship. Portland Jones of Ward 6 said he feared being forced to sell his home; Wally Radcliffe and Patty Hamm described similar concerns, and Darlene Thompson urged the council to reconsider tax decisions. The mayor and councilors responded by noting the council had not increased the rate and by pointing to ongoing efforts to find operational savings and pursue grants and state funding.

After the public hearing the council moved to approve the tax rates “as presented.” The motion passed on a 6-0 roll call. Councilors and staff repeatedly emphasized the action maintained the current rate and that reassessment increased taxable values. The council scheduled additional budget work sessions on April 15 and April 22, and set May 13 for the public hearing and first reading and May 27 for the second reading on the budget.

Votes at a glance: the council also approved routine procedural and budget-related items during the meeting. Motions to adopt the meeting agenda and to approve the consent agenda each passed 6-0. A mid-year reallocation resolution to move local dollars into the pavement management program passed 6-0. A separate resolution reallocating Ward 3 travel and communications funds into the Ward 3 improvement fund (to repair the Weston Manor pier) passed 6-0. All recorded votes on those items were unanimous.