Avondale staff outline FY2027 recommended budget: $512.9M total, bonds planned

Finance Director Renee Weatherless presented the city manager's recommended fiscal year 2027 budget at the April 20 meeting, summarizing changes since March and the calendar for adoption.

Weatherless said the FY2027 total budget across all funds is $512.9 million, with bond proceeds accounting for about $100 million (25% of total) to fund water, wastewater and general-obligation park projects. She reported general-fund revenues of $123.9 million and a general-fund expenditure plan of $185.6 million; sales tax and state-shared revenue remain major revenue sources. The staff forecast shows the general fund structurally balanced in FY2027 but not again until 2031 under current projections.

Key budget moves presented include reinstating the internal-audit consultant, funding election expenses, removing a NASCAR sponsorship, moving Holly Acres construction funding to bond proceeds, replenishing a $5 million capital contingency in the five-year forecast, and adding 7.5 FTEs (4 funded by enterprise funds).

Weatherless said the next steps are returning to council May 4 to adopt the tentative budget and June 1 for final adoption; the property-tax levy will be adopted June 15. She noted the city will not hold a truth-in-taxation public hearing this year because it is not increasing the primary property-tax levy by the allowable 2%.

The presentation was for discussion only; council members asked clarifying questions and offered thanks to staff for the analysis and for keeping contingency funding and other priorities in the forecast.