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Panama City commission confronts $4.5 million FY2027 shortfall; staff asked to model deep cuts and revenue options
Summary
City staff told commissioners the FY2027 general fund could be $4.5 million short under conservative revenue estimates; officials asked staff to model 10–16% operational cuts, targeted user fees and merchant‑fee changes while delaying any final vote until a follow‑up workshop.
City of Panama City officials on March 30 opened a pre‑budget workshop where staff warned that preliminary projections for fiscal year 2027 show a roughly $4.5 million shortfall in the general fund and outlined a menu of fixes including tax changes, merchant‑fee cap adjustments and personnel or operating reductions. Mayor Branch called the meeting to order and staff presented high‑level budget assumptions and staffing breakdowns.
The presentation said staff used FY26 revenues with conservative adjustments and estimated general fund revenues could be about 5% lower in FY27, producing a $4,500,000 gap unless revenue is raised or expenses reduced. "This is very early in the process," a staff presenter said, noting the Bay County…
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