Rome mayor proposes $41.9 million 2026 budget; council sets public hearing and tables final adoption

Mayor Jeffrey Lanigan on Wednesday presented the city of Rome’s proposed 2026 budget, saying the plan balances fiscal restraint with investments tied to recent disaster recovery and anticipated economic growth.

Lanigan told the Rome Common Council the 2026 general city budget calls for $41,900,000 in appropriations, an increase of $2,000,000 from 2025, and that the inside tax district budget totals $14,800,000. He said the administration expects non-property-tax revenues to rise by more than $2,000,000, citing new hotel-occupancy tax proceeds, anticipated agreements with the Rome City School District and other aid. "Tonight, I present the 2026 proposed budget for the city of Rome," he said. "This budget is grounded in fiscal responsibility shaped by the extraordinary challenges of the past year and guided by a vision of growth and renewal."

The mayor outlined extraordinary costs from recent severe weather, saying the city secured $6,000,000 in funding for tornado-related costs and an additional $200,000 for recovery after a June microburst; he also said donors contributed $82,950 in 2025 to community recovery efforts. Lanigan repeatedly framed the proposal as a bridge from near-term disaster-related costs toward longer-term revenue growth tied to new private investment, most notably Chobani’s planned facility. He described Chobani’s project as a…