Yakima projects $9 million general-fund shortfall; city launches survey and town halls

Mayor Patricia Byers and Deputy Mayor Matt Brown said the City of Yakima projects a $9,000,000 shortfall in the general fund beginning in 2026 and are asking residents to help set priorities through an online survey, outreach pop-ups and a series of district town halls.

“We're looking at a potential $9,000,000 deficit starting through 2026 and that is in the general fund,” Mayor Patricia Byers said. She explained the general fund covers core city operations — police, parks, streets and administrative services — while enterprise funds such as water and wastewater use separate capital buckets.

The shortfall comes as the overall city budget is roughly $270,000,000, with about $75,000,000 allocated to the general fund, officials said. City leaders attributed the gap to rising costs over the past four years, limited growth in fixed revenue sources such as sales and property taxes, and increased labor and operating costs.

Deputy Mayor Matt Brown said the city has already reduced spending in prior budgets. “We did. In the previous year's budget, we cut…