Following several hours of budget review and line-item discussion, the Garden City Commission on July 1 authorized the mayor to sign the city's indication of revenue-neutral-rate intent and directed staff to publish a proposed mill levy of 38.483 mills (a flat mill levy under the County's calculations).

Staff presented the City Manager's proposed 2026 budget and reviewed assumptions, including a draft 3% salary pool (2% pay-plan adjustment and 1% step increases), an employer health-insurance contribution of $10,800 per position and a set of proposed new positions. Staff said the proposed budget would require a mill levy of 41.107 without adjustments; to hold the mill levy flat at the published target of 38.483, staff identified an adjustment gap of about $836,796.

Commissioners discussed personnel costs, the consultant pay-plan review (a $50,000 placeholder), the $325,000 placeholder to implement pay-plan changes if necessary, the city's conservative revenue estimates, transfers from excess 0.15 sales-tax revenues to the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), and funding for street rehabilitation. Commissioners directed staff to hold some conservative revenue transfers (reduce a planned CIP transfer) and to pursue expense reductions and prioritization but settled on publishing the flat mill levy for the notice.

The commission approved by voice vote the mayor's signing of the revenue-neutral-rate indication form stating the city did not intend to exceed the revenue-neutral rate and listing the proposed mill levy of 38.483 for publication. Staff said the final mill levy adopted at budget hearing can differ from the published estimate but emphasized the need to set the public notice in time to meet county deadlines.

Why it matters: The publication signals the commission's initial posture on tax rate setting and frames public hearings and subsequent budget adjustments. Commissioners acknowledged several choices remain as they revise the budget ahead of formal adoption.

Commissioners asked staff to return with evaluation details and to continue deliberations on prioritized cuts and timing before the final budget hearing.