Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Burlington adopts $104.8 million FY2027 budget, holds city tax rate steady
Summary
The Burlington City Council on April 20 adopted the fiscal year 2027 budget that keeps the city levy at $15.93 while relying on higher property valuations and $9.5 million in transfers to balance a $104.8 million spending plan. Council approved the measure by unanimous roll-call vote.
The Burlington City Council adopted its fiscal year 2027 budget on April 20, approving $104.8 million in total expenditures while keeping the city’s consolidated levy rate unchanged at $15.93.
During a public hearing on the proposed budget, finance staff said the council is not raising the tax rate but will collect more property tax revenue because taxable valuations rose. “If you do have a house valuation of about $100,000, you’re going to pay city taxes of $710,” finance staff member Stephanie Stuker told the council during the presentation, laying out how roughly 46% of that amount goes to fire and police services.
Stuker said overall taxable valuation grew about 3%, with regular taxable valuation up about 7%, producing an estimated $805,937 in additional property tax revenue even without a rate increase. The budget shows $97.8 million in proposed revenues against $104.8 million in expenses, with the difference covered in part by $9.5 million in internal transfers (including sales-tax transfers) and the use of fund balance to balance the general fund.
Key operational changes include a 4% proposed increase in sewer rates to support ongoing sewer-separation work and a small increase in solid-waste fees (an example 35-gallon cart pays $16.90 monthly with a $0.45 monthly increase reported). Capital projects emphasized in the plan include sewer-separation work (several million dollars over upcoming years), bridge and street projects, design work for a fire station and continued flood-protection wall construction.
Councilmembers discussed trade-offs in the capital program. One councilmember noted this is the first year in many that funding for seal-coated street resurfacing was not programmed, raising concern about future backlog; another emphasized the city’s heavy multiyear sewer capital needs, noting about $45 million forecasted for sewer projects over five years.
The council approved the budget and the adopting resolution by unanimous roll-call vote.
