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Brownsville presents FY2026–27 budget in first reading; mayor says no tax increase
Summary
City officials presented the FY2026–27 budget on June 9, highlighting $14.15 million in general fund revenue, a continued emphasis on public safety, position reductions and a 2% employee raise plus a $1,000 holiday bonus; the council approved the ordinance on first reading by voice/sign vote.
Mr. Pard presented the proposed FY2026–27 budget at the Brownsville City Council meeting on June 9, reporting general fund revenues of $14,149,391 and outlining priorities for the coming year.
The presenter told the board that roughly half of the city’s budgeted expenditures are devoted to public safety operations — including police, fire, central dispatch and animal control — and that the proposed plan includes a 2% pay increase for city employees, a $1,000 Christmas bonus and longevity pay for qualifying staff. “This budget has no tax increase,” the mayor said after the presentation.
Mr. Pard said the administration cut most capital spending, eliminated some public-works positions and shifted some roles to part-time to shrink costs while preserving raises and public-safety resources. He described a remaining budget gap to be addressed by using fund balance and by pursuing additional revenue before the second reading.
On service funds, Mr. Pard explained that rising tipping fees at the regional landfill drove proposed increases in the solid-waste fund. He said the tipping fee is projected to rise from $55 to $80 per ton and that staff estimated this change would raise residential monthly collection costs by roughly $4 (the presenter’s figures in the transcript are partly garbled and some line items were not read cleanly). The speaker said these changes affect the separate solid-waste fund and are not a general-tax increase.
The council moved and seconded Ordinance 1054 on first reading; the motion was approved by voice/sign vote. The ordinance will return for a second reading and further board consideration.
The presentation also summarized smaller funds (drug fund, community development fund) and referred to one-time uses of prior fund balance in community development. Mr. Pard and the mayor emphasized continued efforts to identify revenue sources to narrow the budget gap before final adoption.
