Dubuque City Council adopts amended FY27 budget, keeps property tax rate unchanged and approves utility rate ordinances

The Dubuque City Council voted unanimously April 28 to adopt an amended fiscal year 2027 budget that keeps the city’s property tax rate at the FY26 level (just over $10.06 per $1,000 of assessed value) and to set new utility rates intended to support a multiyear capital plan.

Jennifer Larson, the city’s chief financial officer, told the council the revised budget avoids a previously discussed 1% levy increase by recognizing $223,385 in higher recurring revenue from DRA rent projections and trimming about $93,722 in recurring General Fund expenses related to the 5 Flags management contract. "This revised recommendation budget actually maintains the current property tax rate in fiscal year 2027," Larson said.

Why it matters: the budget funds long-planned water, sanitary, stormwater and solid-waste work and a six-year capital and equipment program Larson quantified at roughly $240 million. The five-year capital improvement plan includes about $13 million of general-obligation debt in 2027 and additional GO borrowing over the five-year horizon. Larson told the council the plan is tied to urgent projects including PFAS remediation, lead service-line replacement, storm-sewer work on Seventeenth and Locust, and sanitary-interceptor improvements.

Financial and household impact: Larson presented examples showing the average residential homeowner (assessed at $213,211) would see about a 1.97% increase to city property-related bills in the package she described (an example increase of $17.56). Enterprise-rate changes she outlined include a 3% increase for water, 9% for sanitary sewer, 9% for stormwater and a solid-waste collection adjustment that was reduced in the recommendation from 9% to 8%; the net increase in average utility costs was presented as about $6.59 per month for a typical user.

Council action and votes: the council first voted to receive, file and adopt the amended budget resolutions (roll call recorded as Aye: Leyendecker, Kavanaugh, Staver, Sprank, Roussell, Resnick, Wethal; motion passed 7–0). The council then moved through separate ordinance votes to establish water, sanitary sewer, stormwater, resource-recovery and solid-waste rates for FY27, suspending the usual three readings where noted and passing each measure by recorded roll calls (all action items recorded as passing by the Mayor and seven councilors where roll calls are shown).

Public comment and council response: dozens of residents spoke during the allotted public-comment period. Many supported continued investment in public safety and infrastructure; several urged caution on rate increases. Mayor Kavanaugh and councilors thanked participants and emphasized that the public input would shape forthcoming discussions on implementation and priorities.

What’s next: councilors said the budget package and the rate ordinances adopt the near-term funding plan and that the council will undertake follow-up work — including further review of administrative recharge methodology and periodic reporting — while staff begins implementation of the capital projects laid out in the CIP.

Votes at a glance: receive and file/adopt amended FY27 budget resolutions — motion passed 7–0; water rates ordinance — passed (roll call recorded 7–0); sanitary sewer rates ordinance — passed (7–0); stormwater rate ordinance — passed (7–0); water and resource-recovery fee schedule resolution — adopted; solid waste rates ordinance — passed (7–0).