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City staff shows council how to use online FY2027 budget book and outlines key assumptions
Summary
City staff demonstrated the OpenGov budget book and gave an overview of FY2027 assumptions — revenue growth tied to reassessment, personnel as the largest expenditure, and the administration’s approach to fund-balance policy and one-time funds.
City staff walked the Annapolis City Council through the city’s FY2027 proposed budget book and the new web-based format available on the city website, encouraging both council and residents to use the OpenGov portal to review line-item detail.
Joel, who led the presentation, showed the navigation for the FY2027 proposed capital and operating budgets and said the online format allows drill-down access to department-level schedules and salary line items. “When you click that link, it’ll ask you to proceed to a different website and it’ll bring you here,” he said as he demonstrated the budget book’s navigation and search features.
The presentation framed the budget around four functions — a policy document, a financial plan, an operations guide and a communications tool — and emphasized transparency in narratives and schedules so bond markets, residents and council can understand city priorities.
On revenues, staff highlighted property tax as the largest single source: roughly $75 million of general fund revenue is tied to real property, staff said, and the proposed revenue increase in FY2027 primarily reflects reassessed values rather than a rate increase. Joel explained Maryland’s three-year assessment cycle and how the homestead tax credit limits annual increases in taxable value; he noted that reassessments and new development drove much of the projected increase.
Staff asked councilors to submit questions in advance and noted more detailed hearings will follow. The administration also said it will email the slide deck and budget links to council to aid review before the next hearing.
