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Washington City Council debates FY 2026–27 budget, staff cuts and tax-rate options
Summary
At a April 27 budget work session, Washington City Council reviewed a $26.1 million FY 2026–27 general fund proposal, discussed $2.7 million in balancing actions and proposed personnel changes, and weighed tax-rate choices after a 57% property revaluation; no vote was taken on adopting the April 13 proposal.
Washington City Council met April 27, 2026, in a budget work session to review the City Manager’s proposed FY 2026–27 general fund budget and related policy choices. City Manager Jon Rorie opened the session and said staff needed a straightforward budget policy; when he asked whether anyone would adopt the April 13 proposal as presented, council members responded “no.”
The budget packet presented a $26,139,073 General Fund with proposed cuts totalling $1,064,583 in the April 13 list and additional balancing actions of about $2.7 million. Staff identified specific personnel and program adjustments including freezing eight vacant positions, RIF savings, increased administrative charges, an increased electric transfer, appropriating $528,430 of fund balance, and elimination of outside agency funding. Public safety remains the largest expenditure category at roughly $11.3 million, about 43% of the general fund.
Why it matters: the council is balancing competing priorities—restoring or maintaining service levels while preserving fund balance targets. Staff emphasized a fund balance target of $6,409,326 (35% of budgeted expenditures) and noted the Local Government Commission standard is a stability measure rather than a spendable account.
Key details: staff materials explained the impact of the 2025 property revaluation, which increased assessed values by about 57% and produced a revenue-neutral rate of 0.3775 per $100 of assessed value; the packet compared that figure to the packet’s maintained 0.485 rate and showed example homeowner impacts. The packet also listed personnel changes and restorations, including unfreezing nine positions in 2026 and proposed eliminations or conversions in inspections and other departments. Personnel savings and line-item adjustments were presented as the principal means of closing the budget gap.
City Manager direction and next steps: Rorie told department heads to reduce their budgets by 2% to help fund cost-of-living adjustments. Council did not adopt the April 13 proposal at the session; the council adjourned at 4:48 p.m. and scheduled a follow-up budget workshop for April 28, 2026.
Attribution: City Manager Jon Rorie described the need for a clear budget policy and budget reductions; the minutes record that Rorie asked whether anyone would adopt the earlier budget and that council members said “no.” The adjournment motion was moved by Councilmember Max Perreault and seconded by Councilmember Anthony Tyre.
