Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Missoula council opens FY2026 budget hearing; projects modest tax increase and $121.5 million in property-tax‑funded spending
Summary
City staff opened a public hearing on the fiscal year 2026 budget, presenting a roughly $200 million operating plan, an anticipated 3.5% property‑tax increase concentrated on wages and contractual costs, and plans to keep the hearing open through Aug. 18 for further deliberation.
Missoula City Council opened the public hearing on the proposed fiscal year 2026 budget on Aug. 4, 2025, after a staff presentation from Chief Administrative Officer Dale Bickle. The hearing covers the annual appropriations and the capital improvement program and will remain open until council considers final adoption on Aug. 18, 2025.
Bickle said the mayor’s budget emphasizes “a commitment to financial sustainability, a responsible investment, and a responsible public service,” and that the administration used a “cost of living lens” when reviewing department requests. “We are projecting about a $2,400,000 savings over budgeted appropriations in the general fund,” Bickle said.
The budget package presented to council totals about $200 million when utilities, the Missoula Redevelopment Agency and the parking commission are included. Bickle said the property‑tax‑funded portion of expenditures — including the general fund, road district, park district, fire initiative,…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
