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Jacksonville staff present FY27 budget, propose 60¢ tax rate and 1% water/sewer increase
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Summary
City staff presented a proposed FY27 $134 million operating budget and calendar, recommending a 60¢ property tax rate, a 1% water and sewer rate increase, and a public hearing on April 21 ahead of a possible May 19 adoption to meet the June 30 deadline.
City staff presented the proposed fiscal 2027 operating budget to the Jacksonville City Council at a workshop on April 7, outlining a $134,000,000 spending plan, a recommended property tax rate of 60¢ and a 1% water and sewer rate increase.
“Total budget this year is approximately $134,000,000,” Josh, the staff presenter, told the council as he walked through the budget highlights and the schedule for hearings and adoption. He said the FY27 total is lower than FY26’s $142 million, a roughly 5–6% decrease.
Staff flagged priority investments in employees and public safety, which the presentation lists at about $34,460,000. The proposal also includes an Uptown Jacksonville initiative and multiple capital projects in the CIP. The chief revenue drivers in the general fund, staff said, are ad valorem property tax projected at $39,000,000 and sales tax at $17,000,000.
The presentation outlined the review calendar: the proposed budget was delivered at the April 7 workshop, a public hearing is scheduled for April 21, and council discussion and possible adoption are planned for May 19 so the city can meet the June 30 statutory deadline to adopt an operating budget.
Josh emphasized public access to the documents: the proposed budget and CIP were provided to council in two bound books and will be posted online and at the public library for citizen review. He encouraged residents to submit comments by email, phone or in person ahead of the hearing.
Staff also explained smaller operational changes included in the budget: no residential sanitation rate increase is proposed for FY27, while commercial rates may rise because of higher landfill charges imposed by Onslow County. The water and sewer rate model anticipates a 1% increase, down from a previous multi‑year pattern of 2.25% increases used to stabilize revenues.
What happens next: the council will hold a public hearing on April 21, a workshop on May 4 and is scheduled to consider adoption on May 19. Staff noted the council can amend the budget after adoption if state actions (for example changes to sales tax distribution) require adjustments.
The council did not take a final vote on the budget at the workshop; the public hearing is the next step in the process.
