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City Manager presents $532 million proposed FY 2627 budget, flags Jackson County tax clawback risk
Summary
City Manager Troy Anderson presented a $532 million all‑fund FY 2627 budget and a $92.3 million general fund; highlights include a 3% COLA for nonrepresented employees, added public‑safety funding and a $490,000 contingency tied to a Jackson County property‑tax clawback.
City Manager Troy Anderson on Monday presented a proposed $532 million all‑fund budget for fiscal year 2627, telling the Independence City Council the plan preserves core services while making targeted investments in public safety, infrastructure and internal operations.
"This is our guiding document," Anderson said, presenting the package he said represents a 17% increase over FY 2526. He described the proposed general fund — the city’s most discretionary pool — as roughly $92.3 million and said most of that is committed to salaries and benefits.
Anderson said personnel costs are a leading driver of growth: personnel spending rises about 6% in the package, reflecting collective‑bargaining agreements and added positions, and the budget includes a 3% cost‑of‑living adjustment for non‑represented employees.
The proposal sets aside $143,000 to sustain current transportation service levels and allocates $2.9 million from the general fund for police and $2.0 million for fire in addition to existing sales‑and‑use tax revenue streams. It also includes a $60,000 line for property abatements and funding for four additional positions across departments.
Staff highlighted a $490,000 contingency tied to an ongoing Jackson County property‑tax legal matter. "We are concerned based on communication that Jackson County will claw back funds," Alex Morgan, the city’s budget manager, said. "The $490 (thousand) of what we've heard could potentially be clawed back. It may be more than that. It may be less. We're trying to budget conservatively." Anderson said the city has set the amount aside to protect departments that would be most affected if clawbacks occur.
Anderson warned of a structural imbalance in which recurring expenditures outpace recurring revenues and said the council will continue discussions in a two‑day strategic planning series and a follow‑up fiscal plan workshop next week. He announced a public community budget session for May 27 at the Midwest Genealogy Center, a formal budget presentation on June 1 and anticipated adoption on June 15, 2026.
On accounting presentation, Anderson said the FY 2627 book reverses last year’s practice of showing certain department wages as transfers into special sales funds so readers are less likely to misinterpret transfers as independent sales tax revenue.
The city manager also described investments in internal services and risk reduction — including $40,000 for a new safety and compliance program and staff additions in IT, procurement and finance — and $1.34 million in capital expenditures.
Anderson closed by urging the council and community to focus on long‑term fiscal planning while noting the budget seeks to maintain a minimum 16% unreserved general fund balance and build toward stronger reserves for credit and operational stability.
Next steps: staff will finalize the presentation on June 1 and the council is expected to vote on adoption June 15. The full budget book is available online and in the city clerk’s office.
