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Ross Council hears five-year budget forecast, flags conservative property-tax assumptions
Summary
Council reviewed the draft FY 2026-27 operating budget and five-year forecast; staff forecasted small annual surpluses but noted those depend on conservative property-tax estimates and the Public Safety Parcel Tax revenue.
The Ross Town Council reviewed the draft Fiscal Year 2026-27 operating budget and a five-year forecast during a special meeting on April 23, 2026. Town Manager Christa Johnson and Senior Accountant Elena Kurakina told the council the Operating Fund is currently fundable over the next five years, largely because of revenue from the Public Safety Parcel Tax and higher-than-expected interest income in the current fiscal year.
Kurakina said the town budgeted $5,650,000 in property tax for the year and now estimates receiving $5,671,000 by year-end. Council Member Mathew Salter noted the recent actual growth: "as a percentage, it is up 5.5% over FY 2024/25," while staff recommended a more conservative forecast for planning.
Staff presented a projection showing an $8,000 projected surplus at the end of FY 2027 under current assumptions and explained that larger one-time transfers (about $2.5 million of prior-year reserves) were moved into the Capital Projects Fund to support civic projects. Johnson cautioned that the small recurring surpluses will not support new ongoing positions or large projects without additional revenue sources.
Council members asked staff to continue monitoring County property-tax updates and accepted a recommendation to have the Finance Committee consider pension funding options and potential consultant assistance going into the next fiscal year.
