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Moses Lake launches financial‑sustainability review after consultant warns of growing deficit
Summary
City staff and consultant Jeff Pooley presented an updated six‑year forecast showing a structural gap that grows from an estimated $1.5 million in 2026 to roughly $2.8 million in 2027 and widens thereafter; council approved a timeline for program prioritization and public engagement to close the gap.
Moses Lake City staff on Friday opened a citywide effort to “achieve financial sustainability,” presenting a six‑year forecast and a schedule for program‑level prioritization and public engagement.
Jeff Pooley, a consultant with Next Level Analytics, told the council the baseline forecast—built from the adopted 2026 budget and 2025 actuals—assumes staff salaries grow about 5% annually, medical costs rise faster than other expenses, property‑tax growth tied to new development at roughly 0.9%, and most other revenues at about 3% inflation. Pooley summarized the model by saying the forecast produces a starting deficit of about $1.5 million for 2026 and “the budget deficit in ’27 is 2,800,000.0,” which widens in the out years if no actions are taken.
City staff and Pooley also introduced a preliminary estimate for annual capital facility replacement for general‑fund assets. Using two rule‑of‑thumb methods…
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