Spartanburg staff outline FY27 budget: modest growth, no tax increase and health-care cost absorption

City staff presented a high-level overview of the proposed fiscal year 2027 budget, telling the Spartanburg City Council the draft is balanced and reflects modest revenue growth without recommending a property-tax or household-fee increase.

"We believe we'll be able to responsibly budget $59,000,100 of general fund revenue," a staff presenter said, and described steady, not dramatic, revenue growth driven largely by business activity and property-tax base expansion. Staff emphasized the draft includes a citywide cost-of-living adjustment and that the city plans to absorb an estimated increase in employee health-care premiums rather than pass it to employees.

On staffing and equipment, staff said the budget anticipates minimal overall headcount growth, a single new full-time equivalent in the fire department in the current draft, and continued contributions to an equipment replacement fund to smooth purchases of vehicles and heavy equipment over time. Staff also noted downtown-specific funds may be dedicated to additional policing resources and that the city is exploring the use of some non-sworn positions to support real-time crime-center operations.

Council members pressed for more detail on long lead times for items such as fire trucks, the expected timeline for projects to realize revenue, and a schedule showing when major economic-development projects come to full maturity. Staff said a complete balanced draft would be published before the next council meeting and invited further questions over the remaining budget meetings prior to the July 1 implementation date.

No final budget vote occurred at the meeting; councilmembers requested additional details and staff follow-up before any final appropriation.