Florence council adopts $98.5 million FY26 budget; primary property tax rate set at $1.0289 per $100

At a special meeting, the Florence Town Council approved Resolution No. 1930-25 adopting the town's fiscal year 2025'26 budget and accompanying expenditure limitation.

The action adopts a final budget of $98,533,498 and an expenditure limitation of $61,829,644, Finance Director Carl Dunning said during the public hearing process. Dunning told the council the town's primary property tax levy rate for FY26 was proposed at $1.0289 per $100 of net assessed value; that rate would generate $1,683,788 and represents a $61,084 (3.95%) increase in revenues excluding new construction. He said the tax on a $100,000 home would be $102.89, an increase of $3.91 from the prior year.

Why this matters: The town's primary property tax goes directly into the general fund and pays for day-to-day operations across police, fire, 9-1-1 communications, community development and administration. Dunning said primary property tax revenue makes up roughly 7% of the general fund.

Key actions and votes: Council moved to adopt Resolution No. 1930-25 and voted to approve the budget during the special meeting; the motion carried with all council members voting in the affirmative.

Background and next steps: Council held public hearings on the town's primary levy and on the draft budget during the meeting and had previously discussed levy options at a budget work session. Dunning said the council must advertise the highest possible levy rate but retains discretion to set a lower final rate on second reading. The council noted the item would return for ordinance action on the advertised levies at a subsequent meeting.

Details from the record: The tentative budget was adopted May 6 and was posted for public review at Town Hall, the public library and Fire Station 2, and on the town website as required by law. The council thanked staff and the budget committee for several months of work compiling the book and preparing for the hearings.