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Waukee adopts $27.2 million general fund budget for fiscal 2026, trims levy rate
Summary
The Waukee City Council approved the fiscal year 2026 budget that reduces the city levy from $12.95 to $12.80 per $1,000 of assessed valuation and maintains reserves while funding new personnel and capital needs.
The Waukee City Council on April 14 adopted the city’s fiscal year 2026 budget, approving about $27.2 million in general fund expenditures and a proposed reduction of the city tax levy from $12.95 to $12.80 per $1,000 of assessed valuation.
City Finance Director Linda Burkhart presented the budget during a public hearing and recommended the council adopt the plan. The council voted unanimously to approve the resolution adopting the FY2026 budget.
The adopted budget shows roughly $26.7 million in general fund revenues and about $27.2 million in planned expenditures, reflecting a planned use of fund balance. Burkhart told the council the city currently holds approximately $15 million in fund balance; the budget would spend roughly $500,000 of that balance in the coming year and leave the city with roughly a 53% fund-balance-to-expenditures ratio, above the roughly 30% level Moody’s recommends. Burkhart said the city needs reserves for future building and infrastructure refreshes and to respond to potential state-level property tax changes.
Personnel additions in the adopted budget include three new police officers, one additional school resource officer, three fire engineer positions tied to the new public safety building, conversion of a part-time administrative staff position to full-time, creation of an economic development coordinator position and one additional streets laborer. Personnel and benefits make up about 75% of general fund expenditures, Burkhart said.
The budget document also reflects Waukee’s growth: a recent special census showed the city grew by about 8,000 people from 2020 to 2024. Burkhart noted that property-tax revenue from new construction lags roughly 18 months behind development, a factor included in revenue planning.
The council opened and closed the required public hearing on the budget; no written correspondence or public comments were filed with the clerk for the hearing. After the presentation and the hearing, the council moved and approved the resolution adopting the FY2026 budget by roll-call vote: Council members Battenberg, Crown, Kron, Pierce, Sinclair and Grove voted yes.
The approved budget document and supporting slides — which break out program spending, capital purchases, and fund balance targets — will be posted on the city website, the council and staff said.
