Augusta commission adopts FY2026 budget with no millage increase after debate over NGO cuts, library funding and sheriff staffing

Mayor Johnson and the Augusta City Commission adopted a fiscal‑year 2026 budget on Dec. 16 without raising the millage rate after an extended debate over how to close a structural gap.

Administrator Maddie Allen presented a ‘‘no‑mill increase’’ option that she said relied on $4.8 million in one‑time resources — including a six‑month hiring freeze, a transfer of landfill receipts, hurricane‑related receipts and reallocated ARP funds originally set aside for a streetlight project — plus deeper cuts to discretionary nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and an additional 2% reduction to most general‑fund departments. Allen emphasized the option is not the administration’s recommended long‑term solution and warned the county will likely face the same budget pressures in 2027.

The commission’s discussion focused on tradeoffs between short‑term balance and long‑term stability. Commissioner Jordan Johnson moved a package that would have included a 0.85 mill increase, restoration…