Glendale council adopts 2026 budget and establishes 2025 tax levy

The Glendale Common Council adopted the city’s 2026 annual program budget and established the 2025 tax levy after a public hearing and discussion about municipal finance.

Council members and staff said state levy limits and stagnant shared revenue force municipalities to rely on debt for capital needs. City staff noted that when the state imposed levy limits in 2006 it excluded debt service from the cap but did not increase shared revenue — a dynamic that, the council said, makes routine replacements and equipment purchases harder to absorb without borrowing. "When the state imposed levy limits on municipalities in 2006, they excluded debt or debt service from the levy limits," Mayor Kennedy said, explaining why cities often turn to borrowing for major capital purchases.

The public hearing, opened by Mayor Kennedy, included comments from residents and staff clarifying the budget’s revenues and priorities. After questions from aldermen about details in the presentation, Alderman Vukovich moved to approve the resolution to adopt the 2026 city budget and set the 2025 tax levy; Schmelzling seconded. Council conducted a voice vote; Mayor Kennedy announced the motion carried and stated, "Resolution is approved. Budget is adopted."

Why it matters: The adopted budget determines next year’s spending priorities and the levy the city will use to collect property-tax revenue in 2025. Council members repeatedly noted that statutory levy limits and the structure of state aid shape Glendale’s options for balancing operations and capital needs, and that reliance on debt can increase costs while protecting operating levies.

What’s next: Staff will publish the adopted budget documents and proceed with implementation; councilors and staff indicated they will continue advocacy at the state level about levy and shared-revenue policy.

Provenance: topicintro: SEG 208, topfinish: SEG 441