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Williamsport proposes 2026 budget with $1.4M shortfall; council presses for home-rule path
Summary
The administration proposed a 2026 general fund that projects a $1.4 million deficit, paired with a half-mill tax increase and one-time revenue moves. Council members urged a coordinated push for home rule to pursue structural revenue changes and requested a resolution to commit to putting a question on the 2026 ballot.
Mayor Slaughter opened the Nov. 17 budget work session by saying the proposed 2026 general fund budget projects a $1,400,000 deficit and noted 2025 is now expected to end with a $1,200,000 deficit rather than the $3,000,000 originally projected. "The 2026 proposed general fund budget is projecting a $1,400,000 deficit," he said.
The administration’s package combines a proposed half-mill real-estate tax increase — estimated to add roughly $373,344–$413,000 in real-estate revenue depending on assessed values — with one-time revenue items, including a $250,000 Bowman Field transfer,…
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