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Longview proposes FY26'27 budget with no property tax increase, employee pay investments and a small sanitation fee rise
Summary
City manager presented a $102.6 million general-fund proposal that keeps the property tax rate unchanged, invests about $3.6 million in employee pay (minimum 2% for most employees) and includes a 46'¢ sanitation rate increase to help cover market pay adjustments; council set calendar for further hearings in August and September.
City Manager Roland McPhee presented the proposed FY26'27 budget July 30, calling it a plan that preserves services without increasing the property tax rate. The proposal lists a $102.6 million general fund, investments of roughly $3.6 million to raise staff pay (about $2.1 million in the general fund), no utility rate increases, and a modest sanitation rate increase.
McPhee highlighted several revenue and expense items: a new EMS billing contract (Emergicon) brought an estimated $800,000 in additional revenue this year; the city secured nearly $10 million in grant awards that appear in special funds; and the budget reduces some positions (eliminating seven full'time and 10 part'time vacancies for savings). He said raising the minimum fund balance to 15% improved reserves while allowing targeted one'time projects.
On sanitation specifically, the proposed budget includes a 46'¢ increase to cover part of the market pay adjustments for sanitation staff; McPhee said half of the market-pay costs were absorbed elsewhere in the budget. Councilmembers praised the staffing and retention results and asked for line'item breakdowns for certain funds; McPhee outlined the next steps: a preliminary tax-rate discussion Aug. 13 and public hearings on Sept. 17 with final votes in mid'September.
No votes on tax rate or final budget occurred at the July 30 meeting; councilmembers and staff encouraged public engagement ahead of the public hearings.
