Stanton proposes $168M FY2027 budget with no property tax rate increase; cigarette and utility fees targeted

City Manager Leslie Bogard and Chief Finance Officer Jesse Moyers presented the proposed Fiscal Year 2027 budget to the Stanton City Council on March 26. The all‑funds total is just over $168 million (a 2.4% increase over the prior year); the general fund is $83.3 million (a 4.41% increase). The proposal does not change property tax rates or meal/lodging taxes.

Key revenue and spending highlights in the proposal include a nearly $1.5 million (7.7%) increase in the city's contribution to Stanton City Schools; continued investment in employee compensation (a 3% cost‑of‑living increase proposed July 1); and a proposed cigarette tax increase from 30 cents to 40 cents per pack (estimated to generate roughly $91,000).

On utilities, staff said aging infrastructure and multi‑year capital needs require rate adjustments. The water five‑year capital plan was listed at about $22 million and the sewer five‑year plan at roughly $13.5 million. To help fund personnel and capital needs, staff proposed raising the water usage rate to $4.28 per 100 cubic feet and the sewer rate to $6.00 per hundred cubic feet; the staff example of household impacts showed a typical bimonthly water bill up about $2.64 and a sewer bill up about $4.80. An environmental flat fee was shown around $3.50 per month (about $6.98 on a bimonthly bill).

The budget also addresses solid‑waste funding: staff said the landfill fund is at risk of insolvency without rate changes and proposed raising residential trash service from $24.01 to $27.50 per month (a parallel commercial rate increase was proposed). The parking fund is operating at a deficit (projected FY27 deficit about $272,494), and staff said without a sustainable strategy the fund may need to be absorbed into the general fund.

Moyers emphasized that many department requests remain unfunded (including safety multiplier changes and some personnel and equipment requests), that the FY27 plan relies on a $300,000 vacancy savings cushion and some one‑time fund balance transfers, and that the city will continue to refine the CIP and enterprise fund recommendations in upcoming work sessions. Staff scheduled public hearings on the budget, utility rate changes and landfill fee changes for the April 9 meeting and additional budget work sessions in April and May.

Quotes and context: "If you don't want to read the whole budget, just read the 19‑page manager's message," Bogard said, urging residents to consult the summary. CFO Jesse Moyers described the rationale for utility adjustments and said the city has advertised an RFP for a utility rate study (best practice every 3–5 years). Moyers also noted improved pension investment returns temporarily reduced the city's VRS contribution rate, producing a two‑year savings built into the FY27 numbers.

Next steps: public hearings and follow‑up work sessions will allow Council and staff to refine fee proposals and the capital plan before adoption; staff will return with more detailed stormwater and landfill five‑year cost breakdowns and an updated CIP.