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Council shifts to FY26 budget priorities discussion; staff seeks guidance on top objectives
Summary
After the pedestrian study, council discussed narrowing FY26 priorities — public safety, organizational excellence, infrastructure/technology, social services and housing — and staff asked members to prioritize objectives and provide guidance on trade-offs in a tight budget year.
City staff presented the council with proposed priority categories for the fiscal year 2026 budget and asked members to identify the top objectives to guide difficult trade-offs in a tight funding year.
Matthew Lou and other staff outlined six candidate priorities that the council could narrow to three main objectives, listing public safety, organizational excellence, infrastructure and technology, social services, and housing among them. Staff noted much of the general fund is devoted to personnel costs and that employees and public safety have been recurring themes in council conversations.
Council members debated specificity and scope. Several asked whether "infrastructure" should distinguish between CIP-listed capital projects and other infrastructure needs such as sidewalk connectivity; staff said some infrastructure items (for example, sidewalk completion) may not be on the CIP but could still be budget priorities. One council member encouraged prioritizing infill development over brand-new growth if budget constraints require choices.
Members asked for an analysis of federal funding risks and potential cuts to partners and nonprofits that provide social services, and for clarity about how proposed priorities would translate into funding decisions. Staff said they would incorporate council feedback and return with more detail as the budget process continues.
