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City manager outlines FY27 municipal budget; council amendments and federal grant cut municipal tax increase to 3.86%
Summary
City Manager Stephen Buck presented a municipal FY27 overview March 3, 2026, showing a starting net taxation impact near 14% (including fire-station debt) that council amendments and anticipated federal funds reduced to an estimated 3.86% net increase; administration will publish a detailed presentation next week.
Stephen Buck, City Manager for Sanford, presented a high-level overview of the municipal FY27 budget at the March 3 work session, describing the administration's near-zero-based line review, major budget drivers and the effect of council amendments.
Buck said the administration's initial package included an operating budget of about $38.6 million, other appropriations of roughly $734,010 and debt service of $3.697 million driven in part by new fire-station borrowing, producing total appropriations slightly over $43 million. He called out benefits, wages and a large projected increase in general assistance spending as primary operational pressures.
The council's Feb. 24 amendments and a revenue re-projection materially improved the municipal picture, Buck said. He identified $1,521,290 in the FY27 revenue forecast as the first, usable tranche of a $5 million congressionally directed Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) award; the administration expects to apply that money to reduce near-term fire-station debt service. Combined adjustments reduced the net municipal call to taxation so that, with the fire-station debt included, the net year-over-year increase to taxation fell to approximately $865,618 (3.86%).
Buck described line-by-line reductions and a shift in capital priorities (about $1 million moved out of the roadway CIP into other needs) tied to grant timing and municipal partnership initiatives. He also noted that municipal revenue projections gained about $308,000 from state revenue-sharing re-projections and that the council authorized a modest set of expense amendments and small capital adjustments.
Council members asked for additional detail on sustainability and requested that the next, detailed presentation split the final column with and without fire-station debt service. Buck said the detailed presentation next week will include deeper sustainability analysis and more granular information on vacant positions, wage assumptions and the use of undesignated fund balance.
Mayor Brink recessed the work session portion and scheduled a short break before the 7 p.m. council meeting; no formal votes on the municipal budget occurred during the work session.
