Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Municipal Budget And Finance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Portsmouth council adopts FY2026 operating budget, approves fee increases; school budget passes 5-2
Summary
The Portsmouth City Council adopted a $584,851,511 city operating budget and approved several ordinances raising utility and stormwater fees. The Portsmouth Public School System budget of $293,421,549 was adopted on a 5-2 vote after public comment and council debate about full funding.
Portsmouth City Council adopted an ordinance to appropriate $584,851,511 for city operations for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, and separately approved related ordinances that raise water and sewage rates and stormwater fees and update emergency medical service fees.
The approvals were part of a package of FY2026 measures the council considered during its meeting. The council voted to increase water and sewage rates (adopted 6-1) and to raise monthly stormwater utility fees (adopted 6-1). An ordinance modifying emergency rescue service fees was adopted 7-0 after a re-do of the electronic vote. The council also adopted a $143,387,980 capital improvement program for FY2026–2030 and an FY2026 classification and pay plan for city employees; both measures passed 7-0.
The Portsmouth Public School System operating budget of $293,421,549 was adopted on a 5-2 vote. Sergio O’Neil, a Portsmouth resident, urged the council to support the school request, saying, “the right investment in public education is more than warranted.” Councilwoman Edmonds Thomas said she would vote no because she had “requested to fully provide the full ask for the schools” and the council had not met that request.
Public commenters raised concerns about property tax burdens. Sheila Joseph, a Portsmouth homeowner, urged council to consider “those that own their home and don't have no mortgage” when setting tax policy and to seek ways to reduce burdens on long-time owners.
A public commenter, Mark Kudaljiej Jutrowski, objected to a $1,400,000 supplemental payment included in the budget for closed pension plans and said such supplements should not be paid from taxpayer funds. Councilman David Moody read a disclosure on the record stating he is a member of the Portsmouth supplemental retirement plan and that, according to the city attorney, he could participate fairly in the vote; the pay plan ordinance passed 7-0.
Mayor and staff presented the package as necessary to fund city services and public schools and to cover capital projects and debt service. City Manager Steven Carter told council members a project report on previous council direction had been delivered for review.
The council also approved a resolution authorizing the city manager to file the city’s community planning and development annual action plan and adopted other routine budget-related ordinances.
The budget and ordinance votes, and the separate vote on the schools’ budget, conclude the council’s formal appropriations for FY2026 as described in the ordinances read at the meeting.
