Speedway outlines 2026 public-safety budget; police general fund down, public-safety LIT rises

The Town of Speedway presented its 2026 proposed police budget on Aug. 20, showing a general-fund request of $5,763,609, a 4.25% decrease from the prior year while relying on additional revenue from the public safety local income tax, known as the public safety LIT.

Grant (town staff) told the council the police department’s page in the budget “is 1,797,424” from the public safety LIT and emphasized that the full cost of policing must be calculated by adding that amount to the general-fund line. He summarized the combined spending as roughly “about 7 and a half million dollar budget to run our department.”

The broader context: the town shifted a larger share of police costs to the public safety LIT after receiving increased certified shares. Grant said the change was made to “stave off some of the other difficulties that we're having with that revenue.” He described the department as 36 merit officers plus telecommunicators and supervisory staffing and said the town has added several officers over the past five years to maintain public-safety levels.

Major line items and changes included a roughly $359,000 increase driven mostly by salaries and benefits tied to the recently negotiated contract; a proposed additional sergeant position to deal with anticipated retirements and turnover; a five-year body-camera contract estimated at $68,000; taser replacement (about $35,000); ongoing license-plate-reader maintenance ($36,000); and replacement SWAT vests and routine repairs. Grant also reported modest reductions to gasoline and corrections to double-counted employer benefits.

Council members and staff discussed recruitment pressures facing local departments; Grant and Chief Upchurch said the region is seeing smaller applicant pools than in previous years and that pay increases are only part of a broader recruitment challenge. Grant said the town budget includes $10,000 in the town manager’s budget for a compensation study specifically for police and fire.

Grant repeated that public safety is a high priority: “Keeping our police department competitive and strong is a priority.” He said the public safety LIT balance gives the town flexibility to pay for large apparatus such as a ladder truck outright or to finance it, and noted that the council has already approved ordering a ladder truck though delivery will be several years out.

The presentation did not include a formal council vote. Staff said detailed slides and supporting documents will be posted on the town website and reviewed again at the council’s Sept. 8 meeting.

Ending: Staff invited additional council questions and said the budget slides, assumptions and a midyear report will be made available to the public.