Hayden council narrows FY26 budget, sets law-enforcement cap and removes projected interest revenue

HAYDEN, Idaho — The Hayden City Council held a special meeting Aug. 19 to finish Fiscal Year 2026 budget work, focusing on how much to allocate for law enforcement and whether to use investment earnings this year to cover new costs.

The council voted to set the law-enforcement budget line at $1,049,000 and, after debate, declined to remove a separately budgeted $95,000 vehicle purchase. The council also voted unanimously to remove $200,000 in anticipated interest income from the revenue side of the FY26 budget.

The meeting, led by Council President Rotor and attended by Mayor Tom and council members Sandy White, Ed, Matt and Schafer, staff and finance personnel, was billed as a focused session on the appropriation ordinance and the L2 levy form the city uses to set the property-tax rate. City Administrator Lisa told the council the purpose of the meeting was "to jump into some unfinished business, which is ... fiscal year 26 budget planning" and that the appropriation table is the document the city must adopt under Idaho law to complete the budget process.

Why it matters

The decisions affect the city’s baseline spending and the revenue the council will seek from property taxes. The law-enforcement allocation was the meeting’s central dispute: council members debated whether to accept a county-proposed increase to the sheriff contract and whether to budget for a lieutenant and its associated vehicle. At the same time, councilors debated targeted cuts proposed by Council Member Sandy White and the one-time use of investment interest to avoid or reduce a property-tax increase this year.

What the council decided

- Law-enforcement cap: In a motion recorded to department/line 110-251-59003, the council adopted a…