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Fishers mayor unveils $203.68 million 2026 budget, aims to hold municipal tax rate steady
Summary
Mayor Fadness presented the proposed 2026 budget, a $203,680,000 operating and capital plan that would fund added firefighters, school safety officers and neighborhood grants while the city works to assess last-minute county valuation changes; the council gave the budget a first reading.
Mayor Fadness presented the City of Fishers— proposed 2026 budget on Sept. 15, telling the council the spending plan totals $203,680,000 for operating and capital and would be circulated for final action in October.
The mayor said the city—s operating and capital spending portion is roughly $162,000,000 and that cash reserves across all funds are "nearing, dollars 67, million." He told the council the administration—s objective is to maintain the municipal portion of the tax rate while funding priorities including public safety, parks and neighborhood grants. "You should feel confident and reassured that the city of Fishers is in very sound fiscal shape," the mayor said.
Key spending proposals in the budget summary include adding three firefighters, funding to expand the school resource officer program (the mayor said the city currently pays 50% and may temporarily assume greater cost if schools cannot), continuing a $400,000 neighborhood matching grant, $50,000 in education innovation grants and a $10,000 ADA matching grant pilot. The presentation also listed substantial infrastructure work: road resurfacing and roundabouts, trail and bridge projects and upgrades to existing parks.
The mayor acknowledged uncertainty tied to recent state legislation, saying staff are still accounting for a last-minute change in county net assessed values caused by "Senate Bill 1" and related adjustments announced days before the hearing. When resident Michael Colby asked what impact the county formula change would have, Deputy Mayor Elliot Holkren said the administration did not yet have city-specific numbers but was working to manage the change.
The council opened a public hearing on the budget. Residents asked questions about invasive-plant removal in parks (Amy Perry requested the city boost this funding beyond the program carried forward from 2025), traffic impacts at several intersections and the potential budgetary effects of recent county assessment changes. After the hearing, the council gave the budget a first reading.
Next steps: the administration expects to return the proposed budget for final consideration in October, after staff complete calculations tied to county-assessment changes and department requests.
