Emporia staff projects $50.99M in FY2026-27 revenues; $20M tied to proposed Police HQ

Finance Director Alicia Hargrove told Emporia City Council on April 30 that the proposed FY2026-27 General Fund revenues total $50,992,023, an increase of about $22.9 million over the prior year. Hargrove said roughly $20 million of the increase is related to a proposed Police Headquarters project included in the FY27 figures; excluding that amount, the underlying revenue increase is roughly $2.9 million.

Hargrove reviewed major line-item changes in the proposed budget. She said staff proposed reducing the real estate tax rate from $0.92 to $0.89 per $100 of assessed value while generating additional revenue because total assessed values increased after the recent reassessment. Gaming revenue tied to Rosie's Gaming Emporium is projected to rise under recent state law changes. By contrast, machinery and tools tax receipts were projected to fall sharply following the closure of Georgia-Pacific, and court fines were reduced based on collections trends. Council discussed interest-income sensitivity to changing market rates.

Councilman James C. Saunders asked staff to adopt more conservative revenue estimates in some areas, recommending reductions of $50,000 to lodging tax, $50,000 to gaming tax, and $20,000 to interest income; staff agreed to review the recommendations and provide revised figures for council consideration. Hargrove and staff will return with updated revenue projections ahead of the council’s formal budget decisions.

The revenue presentation establishes the framework for upcoming budget deliberations. Council members pressed for clarifications on specific line items and asked staff for revised figures before votes on budget adoption. Staff noted the inclusion of one-time or project-specific revenue and asked the council to consider how those items should be treated in baseline operating projections.