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Residents and service providers urge Carbondale council to restore proposed nonprofit funding cuts in FY2027 budget
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Summary
At a public hearing on the proposed FY2027 budget, residents and nonprofit leaders urged the Carbondale City Council to restore cuts that would reduce funding for shelters, food programs and youth services, offering specific trade-offs and requesting clearer budget narratives and measurable outcomes for new staff positions.
Carbondale — Dozens of residents and nonprofit representatives urged the Carbondale City Council on April 14 to reverse proposed cuts in the city’s FY2027 budget that would reduce funding for community organizations serving people experiencing homelessness, youth and food programs.
Jasper Fudge, a Carbondale resident, told the council the proposed budget reduces Division 4425 by $327,554 from the prior year, and said the cut would directly affect shelters, food programs and youth services. Fudge offered three concrete options to restore funds: delay police vehicle purchases (the capital outlay lists five vehicles totaling $287,448), reduce tourism and special-events marketing, or reallocate a portion of TIF district 2 surplus balances that the budget shows as available for redevelopment and code compliance.
"The community showed up for homelessness meetings — now we're asking you to show up in the budget," Fudge said.
Nonprofits and program leaders also spoke. Samaria Gosa, coordinator of Addis Community Service, said her after-school and summer food program has partnered with the city for decades and requested restoration to pre‑COVID funding levels, specifying $24,460 for summer food and $20,460 for after-school programming to maintain meal sites and transportation. Ginger Ry Sanders and other speakers argued that eliminating city support would weaken organizations that deliver direct services to marginalized residents and that grant writing alone will not replace steady local funding.
Several council members pressed staff for more information about the budget document itself. Don Monte asked why large line-item reductions for community organizations lack explanatory narratives; he said the budget should clearly show why changes were made so the public can understand trade-offs. Council member Kilman and others requested measurable outcomes and a clearer scope for a proposed assistant city manager (budgeted as a recurring $114,000 salary line) and asked staff to specify success metrics for year one.
City staff said the budget will be finalized for adoption on April 28 and that the public hearing is a required step before formal adoption. Robert Hardin, director of public works, briefed the council on related items, noting the stormwater utility work was mothballed around 2020 while a stormwater master plan continues with Greater Egypt and SIU.
What’s next: The council must hold a formal vote to adopt the budget at least seven days after the public hearing; staff asked for direction on amendments and said they will prepare the final budget for the April 28 meeting.
Sources: Public hearing remarks and budget overview presented at the April 14 Carbondale City Council meeting. Quotes in this article are attributable to meeting speakers as noted.
