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Council hears OCFO explanation for lower solid‑waste subsidy, agrees to explore street‑fund and transit support
Summary
Council members questioned a nearly 50% cut in general fund support for solid waste and confirmed staff reasoning: better delinquent collections, FEMA reimbursements and reclassification of certain operations to the street fund. Members also backed urging administration to boost transportation funding using Act 51 street‑fund transfers where feasible.
Council members on Tuesday pressed the Office of the Chief Financial Officer for detail after seeing the proposed general fund subsidy for the solid waste fund fall from roughly $17 million in FY26 to $9.8 million in the FY27 proposal.
Donnie Johnson, the deputy CFO and budget director, told council the reduction was driven by a combination of a stronger than expected FY25 fund balance, improved delinquent collections remitted through property‑tax processes, an internal reclassification that moved functions to the street fund, and a one‑time FEMA reimbursement of $6 million. Johnson said reassigning operations more properly aligned with street maintenance reduced the solid waste expense base and the net subsidy requirement.
On transportation funding, members asked how a roughly $13.7 million reduction in the general fund contribution to DDOT was being covered. OCFO explained the FY27 increase in DDOT resources will come largely from the street fund through a statutory option (Act 51) allowing the city to transfer up to 20% of certain allocations to transit; council passed a closing‑resolution request urging the administration to add transportation funding where feasible. The administration said the transfers and one‑time reimbursements buy time but that long‑term funding conversations will continue.
The council asked OCFO for follow‑up memos on the solid waste cost shifts and the street fund transfers so members can track any opportunity costs from reassigning expenditures between funds.
