Renton finance staff outline 2027–28 budget timeline, survey results and $6M annual revenue projection

Finance staff Carrie Roller, the city’s finance administrator, and Kristen Trellis, finance director, opened the 2027–28 budget discussion by outlining the schedule for departmental submissions, capital investment review, public hearings and the mayor’s October budget transmittal.

Trellis said the city prepared position budgeting, updated the baseline budget and began department-level CIP and operating planning in June. She described the CIP as a six-year planning tool that prioritizes projects using six criteria—compliance, safety, economic impact, equity, expansion and sustainability—and noted the city recently updated its prioritization matrix and received recognition from the GFOA.

The finance team summarized a citywide budget survey mailed to a random sample of 12,500 households that ran six weeks with multilingual options; Roller and Trellis said the survey drew 805 responses (up from about 470 two years ago). Trellis summarized headline priorities: public safety ranked highest among respondents, followed by maintaining parks and addressing mental and behavioral health and food security. She also said about 48% of respondents indicated a willingness to pay more in taxes, most in the $1–$99 per year range.

On revenue, Roller warned of near-term headwinds—high inflation, elevated interest rates and a softening tax base—but presented an early revenue outlook that anticipates roughly $6 million of new recurring revenue per year (about $12 million over the two-year biennium) from sources such as business taxes, utility taxes and interest income; she cautioned interest revenue may not persist as rates change.

Roller also reviewed general-fund allocations (about 70% of costs are wages), reported first-quarter revenues were about $3 million above budget (driven by stronger B&O/BNO tax receipts and higher interest income) and said current trends may reduce planned fund-balance use from an initially budgeted $12 million to perhaps $4 million.

Council members questioned survey representativeness and low raw response rate (805 of 12,500 households). Staff said outreach included mail, postcards, online links and targeted communications, that the consultant considers 805 an acceptable improvement over prior cycles, and that public hearings and additional outreach (including working with the equity commission) will supplement survey input.

On expenditures and trade-offs, Roller said departments submitted more than $25 million in requests (not including capital) and the administration is prioritizing requests to trim the total. She flagged near-term pressures including two upcoming union negotiations, building repair needs, a proposed resource center (facility and staffing costs), software and professional-service increases and potential space-leasing costs as staff evaluate options for growing headcount.

Roller said the city is budgeting positions conservatively (budgeted as 100% filled) but acknowledged the additional costs of recruitment and turnover. She told council staff will return with a refined list of prioritized requests in the coming months and recommended further council engagement during department presentations and public hearings.

The Committee did not adopt any budget legislation at the meeting; staff will return with more detailed proposals and supporting documentation as the process continues.