Grandview holds public hearing on $60.4 million proposed budget; adoption set for Sept. 9

The Grandview Board of Aldermen opened a public hearing Aug. 12 on the city’s proposed fiscal year 2025–26 budget, which projects $60,438,100 in total expenditures and schedules final adoption for Sept. 9.

The hearing featured a presentation by Xavier Sanders, a Grandview resident who summarized the proposal and where the city expects revenue growth. "The total proposed expenditures for all the funds is 60,438,100," Sanders said, adding that general fund revenues are projected to rise about 10% next year and that sales and use tax revenues were expected to increase "approximately 18% in the fiscal year of 2026." He said property tax was expected to rise 5%, which includes the Hancock Amendment CPI adjustment and reflects "over 32,000,000 of new construction and improvements during the calendar year of 2024."

The proposed budget lists several notable capital allocations. The presentation identifies the Blue Ridge Boulevard revitalization with a Phase 1 groundbreaking referenced as a $24,000,000 improvement project; $2,100,000 allocated for a Main Street Market street-construction project; $1,100,000 for exterior improvements to the municipal service campus (city hall, police department and DMV), and $1,500,000 for a new fire truck. The budget also calls for continued transportation sales tax–funded maintenance including street maintenance, curb repair and sidewalk replacement, and an extractor unit for cleaning fire truck bunker gear.

City staff told the board the budget was presented to the governing body on Aug. 6 and published on Aug. 8. The board will continue deliberations in working sessions through Sept. 2 ahead of the Sept. 9 final adoption vote. A copy of the proposed budget is available for public inspection at the Municipal Service Building or online at www.grandview.org/budget, the presentation said.

Discussion during the hearing included questions about state-level changes to vehicle registration that could affect local license and permit revenues. Alderman Maloney asked whether permitting at dealerships or other state actions could reduce local vehicle licensing revenue. City staff member Jared responded that if a Grandview resident buys a vehicle from a dealership, "Grandview is still going to get the sales tax" and explained that a recent state increase in license-office fees will yield an additional $2 per transaction to the city office, with a portion distributed to a statewide fund to help smaller license offices.

The public hearing record was opened and then closed at 7:24 p.m. on Aug. 12; no formal budget adoption occurred at the meeting.