Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Municipal Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Harrisville council publishes tentative budget with proposed $35,000 tax increase for sidewalks
Summary
Council reviewed a revised tentative budget to comply with new state truth-and-taxation rules and formally published notices that include a proposed $35,000 property-tax increase targeted to sidewalk repairs; public hearings were scheduled for June and the truth-and-taxation hearing for August.
Harrisville’s City Council on May 12 released a tentative fiscal 2026–27 budget that includes a proposed property‑tax increase of about $35,000 intended primarily to fund sidewalk repairs and other road‑related capital needs. Budget officer Jill Hunt told council the change in presentation and some new line items stem from updated state requirements for the truth‑and‑taxation process and uncertainty about the certified tax rate for 2027.
The tentative budget, which staff said starts from a worst‑case certified‑rate assumption and works downward, reflects a number of adjustments since the March workshop: additional revenue lines tied to truth‑and‑taxation reporting; higher engineering and administrative fees; modest increases in police training and fuel; and significant increases in roads and sidewalk line items, including a $500,000 transfer to capital projects for a road project and an identified $35,000 allocation for sidewalks. Staff also reported that an assessment found roughly 1.9 miles of the city’s 44 miles of sidewalk need replacement, with an estimated full‑replacement cost near $500,400 and a seven‑year plan proposed to address hazardous segments.
Council members pressed staff for details about where previously reported surpluses had been reallocated; staff said earlier positive balances were tied to planned uses of restricted road funds and updated revenue projections. The council discussed alternatives for funding long‑term street and sidewalk maintenance, including fee studies (typically $10,000–$15,000) and a transportation utility fee, and asked staff to return with options.
In accordance with the state’s new timeline, council members took the necessary procedural votes to publish the tentative budget and property‑tax impact schedule and to set public hearings. Staff said the county will provide final certified values in June and that the official truth‑and‑taxation public hearing will be held in August if the council pursues a rate above the certified tax rate. The council’s votes to adopt the required tentative‑budget notices and to schedule hearings were recorded in roll call and are part of the public record.
What happens next: Staff will refine estimates after the county provides certified values, publish the formal tax‑impact schedule online, and hold the public hearings in June (for the interim process) and the statutory truth‑and‑taxation hearing in August if a rate above the certified rate is pursued.
