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Astoria Budget Committee reviews FY2025–26 budget and tentatively approves multiple department budgets
Summary
The Astoria Budget Committee reviewed the proposed FY2025–26 city budget, heard department presentations on HR, finance, public safety, library and others, and tentatively approved several departmental budgets while leaving some items for a subsequent session.
The Astoria Budget Committee met April 22 to review the proposed fiscal year 2025–26 budget and tentatively approved several departmental budgets after presentations from city staff.
City Manager Spence told the committee the proposed total budget has fallen from an $84 million base to roughly $80 million, largely because of capital timing — notably a major library renovation and wastewater projects — and that staff had provided expanded budget pages and comparative actuals to improve transparency. "This is, the 20 25, 20 26 budget for the city of Astoria," Spence said in opening remarks.
Committee members questioned allocations between capital outlay, contingency and ending balances for urban renewal districts and for individual funds. Finance Director Hillary Norton presented a multiyear perspective showing the general fund at about $21 million and property taxes contributing roughly 60% of general fund revenues; the committee heard that a working contingency near $6.5 million (about five months of operating expenses) remains a planning target.
The committee tentatively approved the HR budget (additional HR specialist), municipal court, finance, city attorney, community development, nondepartmental/unallocated, fire, police and library budgets by voice votes during the meeting. Several items — including special revenue and some enterprise fund details — were deferred to the next night of the budget process. The meeting recessed to continue work the following evening.
