Taft reviews $5.5 million FY 2026–27 budget in workshop

The Taft City Council convened a budget workshop Aug. 29 to review the proposed FY 2026–2027 budget, a package that totals about $5.54 million after cutting $1,375,000 in interfund transfers. The City Manager told the council that "after putting this budget together there were limited resources that he could do," and provided members an attached summary of key highlights.

The budget summary lists a proposed no-new-revenue property tax rate and allocates the largest shares to water and wastewater operations, with personnel costs totaling $1,769,802. Council members reviewed line-item totals for departments including police, sanitation and debt service but did not take a final vote on the budget; the workshop closed at 12:40 p.m. following a unanimous motion to adjourn.