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Harrington commission votes to exceed revenue-neutral rate, certifies 2026 budget at 87 mills
Summary
The Harrington City Commission voted 4-0 to exceed the revenue-neutral rate and certified a 2026 budget based on an 87-mill levy after public hearings and comments urging fiscal restraint and outreach.
The Harrington City Commission voted unanimously to exceed the revenue-neutral rate and certified the city’s 2026 budget based on an 87-mill levy.
City officials said the action was needed to fund basic operations and several items trimmed from earlier budget drafts. The commission opened and closed a public hearing on the revenue-neutral rate and later opened a separate public hearing on the 2026 budget before taking the two votes.
City staff summarized prior budget workshops and said the commission dialed the proposed increase back from earlier, larger proposals to the 87 mills before seeking approval. “We feel to adequately fund the budget next year, we're going to have to exceed the R and R,” a city staff presenter said, adding the commission reduced earlier proposals down to “87 to an amount that, you know, we got somewhat of a consensus on at the previous budget workshops.”
During the public hearing on the budget, resident Larry Mann urged commissioners to reduce spending and proposed using the cemetery fund to cover cemetery expenses. Mann said the cemetery fund balance was $155,000 and that the draft budget included about $50,000 for cemetery operations. He said he would oppose raising the mill levy unless necessary.
City staff and commissioners encouraged residents to petition the county assessor if they believe their property valuations are too high and reiterated an open-door policy for budget questions. Staff also recommended certification of the budget, saying the proposal “is going to fund the basic operations of this community.”
The commission first moved to approve a resolution exceeding the revenue-neutral rate and proceeding to 87 mills; the motion carried by roll call vote 4-0. Later the commission moved to consider and certify the 2026 budget at 87 mills; that motion also passed 4-0 by roll call.
The commission noted the city will need all four members to sign the certification document before it is filed with the county.
Looking ahead, staff said some capital projects (including airport and fire-station improvements) and grant applications remain under consideration and that they will present options in future meetings.
