Budget committee recommends 2026 budget, adds police and fire equipment and recognizes insurance recovery

The Jackson City Budget Committee on Oct. 26 recommended the 2026 budget to the full council after approving amendments to restore police and fire equipment purchases and to recognize an insurance recovery earmarked for a patrol vehicle.

The committee voted to recognize an insurance recovery and appropriate $50,000 for the purchase of a police patrol vehicle. A separate amendment to add equipment back into the draft budget'including protective gear and technology for the police department and hoses and personal safety equipment for the fire department'was also approved. "Next, budget amendment. You got before your proposed budget amendment number 69 to recognize insurance recovery and then appropriate $50,000 for the purchase of a police patrol vehicle," a finance department staff member said during the meeting. After debate and amendment, committee members voted, and the motions passed.

The recommendation comes amid a reported decline in some revenue streams and a drop in the city's general fund balance over the past year. "Local option sales tax were more than $229,000 less in the same period last year," a finance department staff member told the committee, and "state sales tax was about $17,000 less than the same period last year." The staff member said property tax collections were "in line with the same period last year" and that about "$1,490,000" remained in the current 2024 billing to collect. The staff member also said the city is expecting reimbursable payments for federal and state projects that have been delayed and that there is "anywhere between, you know, about 2 and a half million dollars there" in pending reimbursements.

Committee members discussed reinstating specific line items that had been removed from the draft. A breakdown provided during the meeting showed the police items on the page totaled about $397,884 and that the fire department request to restore hose and related equipment was $125,000. Committee members said those additions would be included as amendments when the budget item reaches the full council. Members noted that because an earlier version of the budget had already been posted, the additions would be offered as amendments at the next hearing.

Finance staff said the overall draft budget funds day-to-day operations and committed, grant-funded capital projects for parks and transportation but does not include any new capital requests or a property tax increase. "This budget, as proposed by the mayor, in response to concerns by council, will continue to fund day to day operations and will allow the council time to determine how best to move forward considering their priorities," a staff member said.

Committee members directed that the recommended budget move forward with the approved amendments and signaled plans for additional department-level review sessions over the coming weeks. The committee's recommendation does not itself adopt the budget; the full Jackson City Council will consider the proposed 2026 budget and any amendments at its upcoming meeting.

Votes at a glance: the committee approved (1) a motion to recognize insurance recoveries and appropriate $50,000 for a police patrol vehicle; and (2) a motion to recommend the 2026 budget to the full council as amended to reinstate the listed police and fire equipment items. Both motions passed on voice votes.