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 debate and additional procedural motions, the council proceeded to adopt the original ordinances as presented.

Finance Director Amy Gordon told the council that, based on updated county valuation figures received after the public notice was published, the amount of foregone taxes reflected in the adopted budget is $212,769. "Based off the budget you just adopted, you would be utilizing foregone taxes that were reserved in prior years to fund your '26 budget in the amount of $212,769," Gordon said during the staff presentation.

City Attorney Jennifer Tangano explained the rules for a motion to reconsider under Lewiston City Code, which was used earlier in the meeting to reopen consideration of the third reading of ordinance 49 50. "A motion to reconsider is a procedural motion under Lewiston city code section 2‑26, subparagraph j, subparagraph 4," Tangano said, adding that the motion must be made by a councilor on the prevailing side of the original vote and requires a majority to pass.

Roll-call and voice votes recorded on the record included: - Resolution to repeal and replace the city purchasing policy (Resolution 2025‑34): passed 4‑1 (Councilor Wright — Aye; Councilor Forsman — Nay; Councilor Schroeder — Aye; Councilor Klein — Aye; Councilor Stickelmeyer — Aye). - Adoption of ordinances 49 50, 49 51 and 49 52 (annual appropriation, tax certification and amendment): passed by council voice/roll call (recorded votes on those items were all aye in the clerk’s roll calls presented on the record). - Ordinance 49 55, ordering a special bond election not to exceed $22,540,000 for wastewater, water, stormwater, roads and related improvements: council approved dispensing with additional readings and approved by voice vote, then adopted as presented. - Resolution certifying foregone taxes (Resolution 2025‑36) as amended to $212,769: passed unanimously on roll call following the public hearing and staff presentation.

During the public hearing on foregone taxes, two members of the public testified. Travis Meeks expressed opposition to additional taxes and skepticism about voter support for an upcoming bond. Linda Malawi asked whether $212,769 could instead be taken from other line items such as park projects and said she was reluctant to see reductions in police staffing. Both speakers were permitted the opportunity to comment during the public hearing prior to council action.

Councilors and staff repeatedly discussed the budget tradeoffs between maintaining personnel and capital replacement schedules. Several councilors voiced concern that across-the-board cuts to capital (fleet) or to public safety staffing could defer needed maintenance or erode services. Councilor Stickelmeyer and Councilor Spickelmeyer both cautioned that departments had already pared requests and that further cuts risked underfunding essential services.

What the council approved tonight will be transmitted to Nez Perce County as required by ordinance 49 51 (the adopted tax certification lists a certified amount of $25,004,250 as read by the clerk in the meeting record). The special bond election authorized by ordinance 49 55 remains on the books for scheduling in accordance with the ordinance text.

The council concluded final adoption votes for the ordinances and related resolutions and moved on to other business.