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Garden City staff propose 3% standard raise, target market adjustments for library
Summary
City finance staff presented a draft fiscal 2027 budget that assumes a standard 3% wage increase, department-by-department market adjustments (library positions flagged for larger increases), and the use of remaining foregone levy capacity; staff warned some revenues are volatile and flagged a $45,365 foregone balance.
Director Thornborough presented the draft fiscal 2027 budget and described the city—approach: carry forward last year——budget, update titles and dates, and address line items year by year. "Our standard has been pretty much 3%," she said, and added that some departments receive targeted market adjustments; the library, for example, may see closer to a 6% increase for lower-paying page and assistant positions.
Thornborough walked through benefits and revenue assumptions: she said the city expects to take the full 3% property-tax increase allowed by the legislature and that $45,365 remains in foregone levy capacity carried from the COVID period. On health insurance she said insurers had signaled large variations across jurisdictions but that the city——insurer cancelled planned rate increases for 2026 and 2027. Thornborough also warned that franchise and cable-related revenues are declining and that fines and forfeitures are sensitive to staffing levels, noting the city has a large balance of uncollected fines from prior decades.
