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Staff outlines FY2027 budget; recommends adding one patrol officer funded by local option sales tax transfer
Summary
City staff presented the FY2027 budget and five‑year staffing plan, recommending adding one patrol officer in FY2027 at an estimated cost of about $114,000, to be funded through a local option sales tax transfer. Council asked detailed questions about LOST balances, hotel‑motel revenue and whether higher valuations should lead to taxpayer relief.
City staff presented the FY2027 budget overview and five‑year staffing plan and recommended including one additional patrol officer in the FY2027 staffing budget.
Staff said the staffing budget for FY2027 was presented at roughly $24.9 million and that adding one patrol officer in FY2027 would cost about $114,000, or less than half a percent of the overall staffing budget. Staff recommended funding the position through an additional transfer from local option sales tax (LOST) and noted the move would not materially affect the council’s stated 25% reserve policy for the general fund.
During the presentation staff discussed updated valuation and revenue assumptions, including revaluations and changes in tax increment finance (TIF) transfers that staff said provided increased flexibility for FY2027. Council members pressed staff for details on how LOST transfers would be used to fund multi‑year infrastructure (the East of Myrtle Hay project), alternatives such as bonding versus cash funding, and how hotel‑motel revenue estimates affected the long‑term outlook.
Council discussed whether higher property valuations should translate into immediate taxpayer relief or be used to shore up reserves and infrastructure projects. Staff recommended preparing public‑hearing notices on a flat levy to preserve flexibility; the council directed staff to prepare notices based on that approach while retaining the option to change the levy before final approval.
The council did not take a final vote on the budget at the meeting; staff said they would proceed with the public‑hearing process and return with refined numbers and any recommended budget adjustments.
