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Dayton holds public hearing on proposed 2026 budget; staff say plan balanced largely with one-time sources
Summary
City staff presented the proposed 2026 budget and told the Dayton City Commission the general fund balance relies mainly on one-time sources totaling roughly $14.8 million, including ARPA interest and FEMA reimbursements; commission set adoption schedule with readings in February and effective date in late March.
City staff presented the proposed 2026 budget at a Jan. 21 public hearing, saying the plan meets legal requirements while prioritizing youth programs, housing stability, violence prevention, public safety and neighborhood revitalization.
"This is a balanced budget that meets all of our legal requirements and reflects our commitment to fiscal responsibility," Miss Lofton said as she opened the hearing. She then introduced Abby Patel Jones, the director of management and budget, to summarize the proposal.
Abby Patel Jones said the general-fund gap for 2026 is closed mainly by one-time solutions, which she listed in detail: a planned health-insurance holiday of $1.5 million, $1.3 million in FEMA tornado reimbursement from the 2019 event, roughly $5.0 million in interest earnings on ARPA funds, $4.0 million in use of cash reserves, and a combination of cuts and savings including about $800,000 in contract/material reductions, a $450,000 reduction in annual investments, nearly $600,000 from a lower fringe-rate projection, $300,000 from unclaimed funds and nearly $900,000 in new revenue. "All of this helps to balance the budget specifically for the general fund for 2026," Patel Jones said.
Patel Jones also described the city's broader appropriation totals, saying governmental funds total nearly $370 million, enterprise funds (aviation and water) total about $601.5 million and internal service funds are a little over $60 million, for an annual appropriation that "is slightly over $1,000,000,000." She noted the appropriation shown does not include prior-year unexpended appropriations, which will be reflected in the final ordinance.
The commission set the formal schedule for adoption: publication of the appropriation on Feb. 8, first reading on Feb. 18 and second reading on Feb. 25; the appropriation becomes effective 30 days after the second reading (Patel Jones said that date would be March 27 unless changed by the commission). Patel Jones and Miss Lofton reiterated that the proposed budget was publicly available since October 2025 and that staff had solicited resident input through the Dayton Open Data portal, surveys and neighborhood meetings.
Commissioners asked when the city will provide a full-year performance evaluation tied to the budget's policy framework (five community service areas and 14 community priorities). Patel Jones said departments finalize their performance metrics after year-end close; the annual performance measures report is generally finalized in February and a 12-month look-back will be available closer to March.
No citizens were registered to speak on the budget item during the formal public hearing portion; afterward, the broader public-comment period included speakers on other subjects (see separate public-comment summary). The commission closed the hearing and proceeded with the rest of its agenda.
