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Augusta officials outline 2026 budget shortfalls and hard choices, warn of $6–7M health‑care hit
Summary
Interim finance director Tim Schreier told commissioners the city faces a structural gap for the 2026 budget driven by rising health‑care claims, streetlight costs and the end of one‑time ARPA revenue, with options including program cuts, service reductions or a millage increase.
Interim Finance Director Tim Schreier told the Augusta City commission at a June budget retreat that the city faces a multiyear budget squeeze that will force “tough decisions” for the 2026 fiscal year, including possible cuts to services, personnel reductions or a property tax (millage) increase.
Schreier said general fund revenues are projected to fall from $127 million in 2024 to about $118 million in 2026 as one‑time American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars are no longer available. He said the city currently has about $3 million in ARPA funds remaining that must be spent by the end of 2026.
“The next one is health care costs,” Schreier said. “EPIC is projecting that we’re gonna have a 20% increase in our cost from last year, and that's about 6 to $7,000,000.” He said the projected health‑care overage is across all funds and that the city expects to file stop‑loss claims that could reduce the net exposure.
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