Price City adopts tentative FY2026–27 budget, approves 2.5% COLA and compensation ordinance

Price — The Price City Council on June 10 approved an ordinance establishing compensation for elected officials, statutory officers and manager-level employees and adopted a tentative budget for fiscal year 2026–27 that includes a 2.5% cost-of-living adjustment for employees.

Mayor opened a public hearing on an ordinance (No. 2026003) to make the statutorily required yearly compensation disclosure and asked city staff to explain the statute. City staff explained the ordinance’s salary table and said the plan includes a 2.5% raise for employees while the mayor and council will receive no increase. The council voted to adopt Ordinance 2026003 by voice vote.

Lisa, a city staff member who presented the tentative budget, told the council that “the budget is, $16,700,000 combined for all funds for next year,” and provided line-item snapshots for major funds, including the general fund, capital improvements and enterprise funds. She said wages and benefits account for about $9.1 million of that total and that capital projects account for the largest increase, driven primarily by ongoing water projects and expanded stormwater work.

Council members thanked staff for narrowing departmental requests and noted that some capital items and vehicle purchases were postponed or reduced to balance the plan. One council member raised the possibility of proposing a small property tax increase next year to address long-term infrastructure and staffing needs, but council members repeatedly emphasized caution and public sensitivity on tax increases.

The council voted to accept the tentative budget and set a public hearing on June 24, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. in the City Council Chambers for public comment on the final budget. The mayor said notice of the hearing will be published as a Class A notice under state statute.