Leesburg council adopts FY2026 budget, keeps 17.74¢ real‑property tax rate; approves $367.6M CIP and $399K safety kit contract

The Leesburg Town Council on May 20 adopted the fiscal year 2026 budget, approved a six‑year Capital Improvements Program (CIP) and kept the 2025 real‑property tax rate unchanged.

At a public hearing with no members of the public speaking, Liz Weaver, acting deputy management and budget officer for the town, presented the staff recommendation that the tax rate remain at 17.74¢ per $100 of assessed value for tax year 2025. Weaver said, “The FY 2026 proposed budget recommends no change for tax year 2025. The current real estate tax rate is 17.74 per $100 of assessed value.” She told the council that each one‑cent change in the rate is valued at approximately $1,340,000 for the town.

The council adopted the tax ordinance and related fee schedule by roll call vote, 7–0. The roll call recorded Councilmember Krakowski, Councilmember Nacey, Councilmember Steinberg, Councilmember Cummings, Councilmember Wilt, Vice Mayor Seminole Johnson and Mayor Burke as voting aye.

Why it matters: the council's decision sets the town's revenue baseline for the coming fiscal year and keeps the rate at the level included in the town manager's proposed budget. Weaver told the council that lowering the rate to the homeowners’ equalized rate of 16.62¢ would require roughly $1.5 million in expenditure reductions.

Details of the budget presentation and votes

Weaver…