Henderson Council trims FY26 budget, weighs development strategy and credit options

The Henderson City Council on May 20 reviewed a proposed FY26 General Fund of about $28 million and discussed redevelopment strategies aimed at boosting revenue, while staff described having terminated a previously considered $3 million line of credit.

Finance Director Joey Fuqua told the council the General Fund reflects a roughly 1% reduction from last year and highlighted targeted allocations including $5,000 for McGregor Hall, $37,300 for local agencies such as the Boys and Girls Club, $200,000 for capital improvement projects, a roughly $52,000 contingency, $100,000 for economic incentives, $113,000 reserved for unexpected costs, and $1,390,000 earmarked for shared county programs including emergency services and elections.

Fuqua said most line items stayed flat or rose by less than 2%, with notable increases in salary and benefit lines reflecting raises and added staff. He also said vacant positions remain in the budget despite an ongoing hiring freeze and that a recent cyber event has hampered access to historical data, complicating budget preparation.

The council reviewed debt and…