Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Budget Fy2026 topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Salem council adopts $213 million FY2026 operating budget, approves major bond orders
Summary
The Salem City Council approved the fiscal year 2026 operating budget and multiple bond orders and capital appropriations after committee recommendations and roll-call votes.
The Salem City Council on Thursday adopted the city’s fiscal year 2026 operating budget, approving a $213,018,302 total spending plan and related bond orders and capital appropriations.
Councilor Merkel, chair of the Administration and Finance Committee, presented the budget and thanked Finance Director Anna Friedman and staff for their work. The council voted by roll call to adopt a $191,196,738 general fund, and separately approved enterprise and special fund budgets and CIP bond orders.
Key financial actions approved included a $10,026,020 bond order for the FY2026 general fund capital improvement program, a $9,450,000 bond order for the water and sewer capital program, and multiple appropriations tied to short-term capital projects and revolving funds. The council also established revolving funds for FY2026 totaling $3,135,000 and authorized appropriations and transfers for specific capital items after committee review.
Roll-call tallies recorded during the meeting show broad support: most bond and appropriation measures passed on votes that were typically 10 yeas, 0 nays, with one member absent. The council’s vote to adopt the total operating budget likewise recorded 10 ayes, no nays, and one absence.
Councilors highlighted that some items had been amended in committee. For example, a short-term capital plan appropriation was reduced by $26,000 to remove funding for license-plate readers that had already been accounted for in the police operating budget. Councilors also noted the interplay between operating and capital planning as they adopted water, sewer and trash enterprise budgets.
Votes at a glance: General fund operating budget adoption — motion by Councilor Merkel; roll-call: 10 yes, 0 no, 1 absent (adopted). Bond order, $10,026,020 for general fund CIP — roll-call: 10 yes, 0 no, 1 absent (adopted). Bond order, $9,450,000 for water/sewer CIP — roll-call: 10 yes, 0 no, 1 absent (adopted). Establishment of revolving funds ($3,135,000) — adopted. Total operating budget adoption ($213,018,302) — roll-call: 10 yes, 0 no, 1 absent (adopted).
Councilors thanked city finance staff and committee members for the months-long budget work. The council closed its fiscal business for FY2026 and instructed staff to proceed with implementation and reporting as required under municipal finance rules.
