Council hears FY26 special‑revenue budget: parking revenue, stormwater options, Prescott Park and community campus updates

City staff presented FY26 proposals for the city’s special‑revenue accounts Wednesday, highlighting parking and transportation, stormwater, Prescott Park and the community campus — plus a one‑time confirmation of federal CDBG funding for FY25.

Ben Fletcher, parking and transportation director, told the council parking revenues fund a large share of downtown services and said returning Hanover Garage’s 300 spaces to service will materially increase available inventory. “A median household in Portsmouth actually is going to realize a nearly $500 decrease in property taxes, due to the fact that we use these outside funds to support these programs and services,” Fletcher said, describing wide uses of parking revenues that go beyond enforcement and maintenance.

Stormwater, funding and a utility study Jamie McCarty, GIS and stormwater manager, said stormwater is funded about 50% from the general fund and 50% from sewer enterprise funds for FY26, with supplemental use of fund balance planned. “Almost everything we do is driven by regulatory compliance,” McCarty said, listing inspections, catch‑basin…