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Saratoga Springs council hears pleas as finance warns of $3.5M shortfall in 2026 comp budget
Summary
Finance presented a $61.37M ‘comp’ budget showing a projected $3.5 million shortfall and recommended a 2% property tax increase in the comp document. Public commenters, including RISE Housing, urged the council to restore nonprofit and low‑barrier shelter funding cut from the proposal.
The Saratoga Springs City Council held the final public hearing on the 2026 comprehensive (comp) budget on Nov. 5, 2025, as finance staff outlined growing costs and a multi‑million dollar gap. Finance told the council the comp budget amounts to $61,370,000, with personnel and benefits consuming the bulk of the spending; staff flagged dramatic cost increases—liability insurance rose 188%, retirement costs 89% and health insurance 27%—and said some expected revenues have not materialized.
Finance (speaker 2) said the comp draft recommends a 2% property‑tax increase but noted the levy could be raised up to 4.53% without breaching the tax cap; staff also described three revenue measures that could together add roughly $1.1 million: lifting the tax to the cap, eliminating…
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