Clinton council adopts FY2026 budget, certifies 7.06% property tax increase after public hearing

Clinton City Council adopted its final fiscal year 2026 budget and certified a property-tax revenue increase of 7.06 (certified tax rate 0.002159) at a special meeting Aug. 5, following a public hearing that drew more than a dozen speakers.

City Manager Trevor Lee and Finance Director Aaron (last name not specified) told the council that the council must hold a “truth in taxation” hearing to seek additional property-tax revenue beyond the previous year’s amount excluding new growth. Lee said the city’s original staff recommendation had been higher, but county-provided new-growth valuations reduced the required tax increase to 7.06 percent. Staff estimated that the average residential property (county average valuation cited at about $480,000) would see an additional tax burden of about $38.46 per year, roughly 40 cents per month.

The hearing drew a range of public comment. Several residents urged the council to avoid or reduce a tax increase, citing hardship for seniors and people on fixed incomes, concerns about whether sales-tax projections were conservative, and requests to shift funds from perceived internal “waste” to essential services. Examples: Cameron Frick urged redirecting merit funds from executive leadership to frontline workers; Lil Ackley described a crossing at 1800 North and 1500 West and asked the council to add another crossing guard; other speakers asked for clearer transparency around revenue projections and capital spending.

Supporters of the increase said the revenue is needed to preserve services and maintain the city’s infrastructure. Fire and police leaders and other supporters said cuts had reached the point of affecting public safety and retention. Chief of Police Sean Stoker explained the police department had cut deeply and that overtime and staffing decisions reflected constrained resources.

Staff and council members outlined options other than the tax increase, including drawing on the city’s fund balance (savings). Council members noted statutory rules about fund balance: the state requires a minimum general-fund balance of 5 percent and generally discourages hoarding; Clinton staff and council discussed a working target used in recent years around 25 percent of operating expenditures (the meeting record cited roughly 89 days of operating expenditures after transfers). The FY2026 budget as presented included about $500,000 moved to the capital improvement fund and relied on some fund-balance use; staff reported nearly $9 million in proposed capital projects across funds over the coming year and ongoing concerns about deferred maintenance.

Council debate split. Council Member Marie Doherty and another member said they were uncomfortable increasing tax revenue as proposed; several others said the increase was necessary to maintain public safety, roads and equipment and to avoid deeper cuts or larger, less-frequent increases later. Doherty offered a compromise alternative—reduce the certified revenue target slightly and cover a small shortfall from fund balance—but the council ultimately adopted the full FY2026 revenue figure.

At roll call on the resolution to adopt the final budget and certify the tax rate (resolution 0825), Council Member Doherty voted no; Council Member Arvey also voted no; Council Members Tyler, Austin Gray and Payne Searle voted yes. The motion carried.

Council also instructed staff to correct the mayor/council COLA line that had appeared earlier in the staff salary table due to a clerical error and directed staff to add one additional crossing guard; Chief Stoker and staff estimated one additional crossing guard would cost roughly $6,000 annually. Staff said smaller adjustments can be handled by budget amendment and that final line-item numbers would be corrected in the ordinance adopting the final budget.