Lewiston council adopts 2026 budget, certifies $212,769 in foregone taxes after amendment attempts fail

Lewiston City Council adopted its 2026 annual appropriation ordinance and related tax ordinances and certified $212,769 in foregone taxes during a regularly scheduled meeting, after several amendment attempts failed and a public hearing on foregone taxes concluded.

The council approved ordinance 49 50 (the 2026 annual appropriation ordinance), ordinance 49 51 (tax certification), and ordinance 49 52 (an amendment to the 2025 appropriation ordinance). The council also approved ordinance 49 55 to order a special bond election, and a resolution updating the city purchasing policy to align with revised state threshold amounts.

Mayor and councilors debated amendments to the budget during the meeting. Councilor Don Wright proposed removing $95,490 for one new police officer and reducing fleet-services capital rates across departments by an amount intended to total $212,069; that motion failed. Wright later offered a revised amendment to remove $95,490 from police protection and reduce fleet-services capital rates by $117,279 for an overall reduction of $212,769; that amendment also failed. After…