Post Falls council adopts FY2026 budget, approves $165.4 million appropriation

The Post Falls City Council on Sept. 2 voted unanimously to adopt its fiscal year 2026 budget, approving an ordinance that appropriates $165,432,629 to defray city expenses for the year beginning Oct. 1, 2025.

Councilors debated elements of the package before final votes, centering on police funding, transfers of cybersecurity and IT staff costs out of the police budget, and the explanation of large multi-year carryovers in enterprise funds.

Councilor Malloy moved to approve the fiscal-year budget as presented; the motion passed on roll call. The council then approved an ordinance adopting annual appropriations for FY2026 and directed the city clerk to assign an ordinance number and publish by summary. A separate fee resolution for FY2026 was also approved.

Why it matters: The adopted budget sets service levels, fees and capital spending for the coming 12 months and establishes the property-tax levy that funds general-city operations. Council and staff said the requested levy increase matches a standard 3% inflation adjustment and that the city’s reported $165.4 million total includes substantial carryover and enterprise fund balances.

Key details and council discussion - Adopted appropriation: $165,432,629 (ordinance adopted by motion and roll-call vote). City staff said roughly $130 million of that total are carryovers and multi-year project funds; the annual operating-level component is substantially lower. - Tax change: The budget as presented included a 3% inflation adjustment; staff projected that, because of new construction and growth, the typical Post Falls homeowner’s tax bill would hold steady or decline in the aggregate, though individual bills will vary with valuation changes. - Police budget: Councilors asked whether the police operating budget had been reduced from about $10.4 million to about $9.8 million. A city staff member explained the apparent decrease reflects three specific adjustments: (1) capital for vehicle purchases previously budgeted in the police fund (about $320,000) is not repeated in FY26; (2) a cybersecurity services contract (about $180,000) previously charged to the police budget was moved to the centralized IT budget; and (3) certain salaried IT positions formerly shown inside the police budget were transferred to IT. Captain Jason Miller, acting chief of police, said the department appreciates council support and that the department is operating within the funds allocated for FY26 though he flagged longer-term staffing and equipment needs for future budget discussion. - Fund carryovers and reporting: Staff and councilors explained the city’s budget presentation includes carryover and interfund transfers for multi-year projects (for example, wastewater plant projects). The $165.4 million figure therefore overstates the annual operating spending when taken without context.

Votes at a glance - Consent calendar (minutes, payables): Motion to approve moved and seconded; roll call recorded all ayes; motion passed. - Motion to approve the fiscal-year 2026 budget as presented: mover recorded in the minutes; roll call recorded "Siglider/Stigler: Aye; Davis: Aye; Lou/Plue: Aye; Ziegler: Aye; Malloy: Aye; Westland: Aye." Motion passed. - Ordinance: "Annual appropriation ordinance for the fiscal year beginning 10/01/2025" (appropriating $165,432,629): motion to adopt and publish by summary; roll call recorded ayes from council; ordinance passed. - FY2026 fee resolution: Motion adopted on roll call (all ayes).

What councilors said - Captain Jason Miller (Acting Chief, Post Falls Police Department) told the council the department has received vehicle replacements and that the transfer of cybersecurity responsibilities to IT reflects a citywide consolidation of those services to reduce duplication. - Multiple councilors emphasized the need to clearly explain to residents why some department budgets fall while others rise and asked staff to return in the fall with a list of unfunded needs and recommended uses of fund balance for targeted items.

Process and next steps - Staff said they will bring back a list of unfunded needs for council consideration later in the fall and that some camera and equipment costs (body and car cameras) are budgeted from fund balance; one item identified was $208,770 toward camera contracts to be considered in a future request that would not require an additional tax increase.

Speakers [{"name":"Mayor Jacobson","role_title":"Mayor","affiliation_type":"government"},{"name":"Councilor Malloy","role_title":"Council member","affiliation_type":"government"},{"name":"Councilor Stigler","role_title":"Council member","affiliation_type":"government"},{"name":"Councilor Westland","role_title":"Council member","affiliation_type":"government"},{"name":"Councilor Davis","role_title":"Council member","affiliation_type":"government"},{"name":"Councilor Plue","role_title":"Council member","affiliation_type":"government"},{"name":"Councilor Ziegler","role_title":"Council member","affiliation_type":"government"},{"name":"Captain Jason Miller","role_title":"Acting Chief, Post Falls Police Department","affiliation_type":"government"},{"name":"Staff member","role_title":"Finance/administration staff (unnamed in transcript)","affiliation_type":"government"}]

Authorities [{"type":"ordinance","name":"Annual appropriation ordinance for the fiscal year beginning 10/01/2025","citation":"not specified","referenced_by":["fy26-budget-adopted"]},{"type":"statute","name":"Idaho Code (executive session citation referenced)","citation":"Idaho Code 74-206","referenced_by":["fy26-budget-adopted"]}]

Actions [{"kind":"other","motion":"Approve consent calendar (minutes and payables)","mover":"Malloy","second":"not specified","vote_record":[{"member":"Wesseland","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Stigler","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Davis","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Lou","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Ziegler","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Malloy","vote":"yes"}],"tally":{"yes":6,"no":0},"outcome":"approved","notes":"consent calendar included minutes from 08/19/2025 and payables 08/20–09/03/2025"},{"kind":"budget_adoption","motion":"Approve fiscal year 2026 budget as presented (3% inflation adjustment)","mover":"Malloy","second":"not specified","vote_record":[{"member":"Siglider","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Davis","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Lou","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Ziegler","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Malloy","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Westland","vote":"yes"}],"tally":{"yes":6,"no":0},"outcome":"approved","notes":"Council approved budget as presented"},{"kind":"ordinance_adoption","motion":"Adopt annual appropriation ordinance for fiscal year beginning 10/01/2025 and publish by summary","mover":"not specified","second":"not specified","vote_record":[{"member":"Davis","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Plue","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Ziegler","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Malloy","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Westland","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Stigler","vote":"yes"}],"tally":{"yes":6,"no":0},"outcome":"approved","notes":"Appropriation $165,432,629; staff stated ~ $130M are carryovers/multi-year funds"},{"kind":"resolution","motion":"Approve FY2026 fee resolution","mover":"not specified","second":"not specified","vote_record":[{"member":"Ziegler","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Malloy","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Westland","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Siglider","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Davis","vote":"yes"},{"member":"Blue","vote":"yes"}],"tally":{"yes":6,"no":0},"outcome":"approved","notes":"Fee schedule for FY2026"}]

clarifying_details [{"category":"appropriation_total","detail":"Total appropriation listed in ordinance","value":"165,432,629","units":"USD","approximate":false,"source_speaker":"not specified"},{"category":"carryovers","detail":"Staff noted about $130,000,000 of the appropriation are multi-year carryovers or project funds, not single-year operating appropriations","source_speaker":"staff member"},{"category":"police_budget_reduction_factors","detail":"Vehicle capital (~$320,000), cybersecurity contract (~$180,000) moved to IT, and transfer of IT-related salaried positions out of police budget; these items explain most of the apparent decrease in the police line item","source_speaker":"staff member"}]

proper_names [{"name":"Post Falls","type":"location"}]

searchable_tags ["budget","taxes","police","appropriation","Post Falls"]

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