Sparks council raises waste-management franchise fee to 18% and adopts FY26 budget, 5-year CIP

Sparks City Council on Monday, May 12, 2025, voted 3-2 to adopt the city manager's final budget direction for fiscal year 2026, including a raise of the Waste Management franchise fee from 8% to 18% of gross receipts and formal approval of the five‑year capital improvement plan.

The increase, which council estimated would generate about $1.5 million a year, was the central element of "Option 2" presented by Jeff Cronk, the city's chief financial officer. Cronk told the council he considered the meeting a key decision point: "I am Jeff Cronk, your chief financial officer for the record. I am here today to present what I hope is decision day," he said during the presentation.

Option 2 directs the roughly $1.5 million in new ongoing revenue to three priorities: hire three police officers (about $800,000 of the new revenue), restore two firefighter positions previously listed for layoff (part of the $800,000), and increase the city's transfer to the capital improvement program by $200,000; the remaining funds were earmarked to eliminate the budget shortfall identified under a smaller package. Cronk said the larger increase would fully eliminate the tentative $500,000 shortfall carried under the smaller option.

Why it matters: the council's action changes a major recurring franchise fee that affects residential and commercial customers and funds public safety and capital projects at a time when the city is facing uncertain sales-tax (C‑tax) receipts and open labor…