Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council reviews 2026 budget proposal, staff cites growing income-tax revenue and capital priorities
Summary
At a finance work session, staff presented the 2026 proposed budget showing stronger income-tax revenue, a $5,000,000 estimated income baseline in the draft, and proposed allocations for operations and capital; council discussed staffing, benefits and project priorities.
The Plains Village Council's finance work session reviewed the draft 2026 budget, with staff laying out revenue projections and key priorities for operations and capital. Staff noted the village's 1.5% income tax and explained how it is allocated between operations and capital: "Just as a reminder, we have 1.5% income tax," the presenter (S1) said, adding that 1.0% goes to operations and 0.5% goes to the capital fund.
The presenter described recent growth in income-tax receipts—"from about 2.4 in 2021 to almost 3,000,000 in 2025"—and said the draft budget shows approximately $5,000,000 in total estimated income. Committee members asked staff to reconcile a legacy figure shown in one line (4.825) with the $5,000,000 figure in the budget document. Staff also outlined that transfers support recreation and police operations (police transfers were cited near 28% of the general fund in the presentation) and that the capital side includes a $2,100,000 estimate from the 0.5% income-tax transfer for streets and facilities.
The presentation covered staffing and benefit pressures, including rising health-care costs. Staff proposed increasing the combined cost-of-living and merit recommendation from 3% to a 4% package split as 2% on Jan. 1 and 2% on employee evaluations to help offset higher premiums. Staff also said the 2026 budget keeps the general-fund balance above recommended minimums and that a first reading of the budget is anticipated on Monday, Nov. 10.
Why it matters: the draft ties operating and capital spending to the village's strategic goals and flags both near-term revenue strength and health-care-driven cost pressure, items that will affect the council's decisions in coming readings and hearings.
