Boise City Council holds public hearings on FY2026 budget, approves ordinance for first reading and related tax and fee measures

The Boise City Council held a public hearing on the proposed fiscal year 2026 budget, heard more than a dozen public comments, and voted to place the appropriation ordinance on the first-reading calendar for Aug. 12, 2025.

The budget presentation, led by Alicia (budget director), laid out a $331.3 million general fund inside an overall city spending plan “just shy of $950 million,” with a capital program increase and targeted spending on repairs and maintenance, public safety, and technology. Council and staff described a constrained revenue outlook that left fewer than 2% of general fund revenues available for new investments.

Council members and members of the public questioned and discussed specifics including proposed new positions, investments in deferred maintenance, Valley Regional Transit (VRT) funding, and library facilities planning. Council referred repeatedly to the budget as “tight” and emphasized tradeoffs between staffing, capital maintenance and other priorities.

Following the hearing, the council moved the appropriation ordinance to the first-reading calendar. The council also approved three related formal items that were presented and heard as separate hearings or motions: a resolution to levy foregone property taxes, a resolution approving new and increased fees (required when increases exceed established thresholds), and placement of development impact fee adjustments on the first-reading calendar.

Key figures and budget choices detailed by staff included a proposed 3% base property tax increase (about $5.7 million), $2.0 million of previously foregone tax capacity to be recaptured, and $6.4 million from new-construction growth. The proposed budget added 16 FTEs for FY2026 (bringing total FTEs to about 2,133.25) and prioritized $10.1 million for major repairs and maintenance, $9.6 million for major equipment and $26.4 million for capital projects including parks investments.

Votes and formal actions followed the presentations and public testimony. The council voted to place the appropriation ordinance on the first-reading calendar and approved the related budget measures: - Motion to place the FY2026 appropriation ordinance on the first-reading calendar for Aug. 12, 2025 — roll-call: 6 yes, 0 no. - Resolution to levy foregone property taxes (RES 319-25) — approved by roll-call: 6 yes, 0 no. Council and staff said the foregone funds largely support capital repairs, technology upgrades for police systems and a transfer to the capital fund. - Resolution on new and increased fees greater than 5% (RES 320-25) — approved by roll-call: 6 yes, 0 no. Staff reported 1,385 fees are included in the budget; most increases are to keep pace with rising costs. Enterprise funds (water renewal and solid waste) include larger fee changes. - Development impact fee adjustments for FY2026 — placed on the first-reading calendar for Aug. 12, 2025; roll-call: 6 yes, 0 no. The development impact fee update reflects a 1.6% increase in the building-cost index and was recommended by the Development Fee Advisory Committee.

Council and staff stressed the budget constraints: slower revenue growth, higher insurance and PERSI costs, and increasing deferred maintenance across city facilities. The presentation emphasized using reserves carefully and prioritizing core services, long-term repairs, public safety investments and limited new technology projects such as an ERP implementation planned across FY2026–FY2027.

The council closed the public hearings and set next steps: the ordinance and impact-fee ordinance go to formal readings on Aug. 12, 2025, and final budget adoption is scheduled for Aug. 26, 2025.

Quotes in context: “This is a tight budget,” said Alicia, the budget director, summarizing revenue pressures and tradeoffs. Multiple council members thanked staff for extensive outreach and for identifying grants and other offsets while acknowledging residents’ concerns about property taxes and fees.

The council asked staff to continue outreach and to return to council with required legal notices, documented fee schedules, and full ordinance language for readings on the posted dates.

Ending: The budget process continues with formal readings and a final adoption date set for Aug. 26, 2025, following the statutory public-notice and reading requirements.