Burbank council warned levies may need raising as police and parks fall short

Village of Burbank Fiscal Officer Gary Harris told council on March 5 that the village's police and parks levies produced roughly 88% of expected property-tax revenue in 2025, a decline that could force the village to seek higher levies if costs continue to rise.

Harris said the village's annual cost for coverage under its current Wayne County Sheriff contract is about $49,196; the police levy raised $32,862.84 in 2025. Harris said that if the village wants to maintain the current level of service and to plan for potential hourly-rate increases — which he said could be up to 20% over five years — the village may need to increase levy revenue to at least $50,000 per year and possibly to about $60,000 annually to provide a cushion.

On parks funding, Harris reported 2025 park property-tax revenue of $12,428.68 while park expenditures were $24,099.87 in 2025. He told council that the park spending levels had been supported previously by accumulated fund balances and that continuing current spending would require increasing annual park revenue to an estimated $20,000–$25,000.

Council discussed options and timing but did not take a formal vote to place levies on the ballot at this meeting. Harris said he did not have the Board of Elections deadline available at the session; council members asked for additional information and suggested the issue will be central to budget planning for 2027. Mayor Anna Purdy and other council members acknowledged the gap and the need to consider whether to pursue levies or alter service levels.

Next steps noted in the minutes include obtaining the Board of Elections deadline for placing levies on the ballot, further review of the fiscal forecast, and follow-up at a future council meeting.