Sutherland budget committee approves $42,045,288 city budget, sets property tax rate

The Sutherland budget committee on Wednesday approved the city27s 2025-26 budget in the amount of $42,045,288 and set the city27s property tax rate at 5.6335 per $1,000 of assessed value. The committee voted to adopt fund-specific budgets including a general fund of $12,653,850, water and wastewater budgets, and special revenue funds before concluding with a motion to adopt the full city budget.

Tammy Trowbridge, the city finance director, framed the budget as balancing current services with known cost pressures and one-time capital needs. "This budget is not presupposed on that utility fee," Trowbridge said, referencing discussion earlier in the meeting about a proposed public safety fee. Committee votes carried on the general fund, special revenue, street, water, wastewater and public-works budgets; the meeting transcript records each motion and a roll-call or voice vote where motions carried.

The committee also approved a package of levies and transfers to support debt service and capital projects. The finance director explained that some revenue increases in prior years resulted from large loan-financed projects (for example, a wastewater treatment plant loan that inflated prior-year totals), and that the current year27s budget reflects expected operating needs and reserve-building. The meeting record shows unanimous or unopposed motions on major budget lines and the final motion to adopt the full budget carried without recorded opposition.

Next steps include transmittal of the adopted budget documents to the appropriate county and state offices and publication as required under Oregon local budget law.