Las Vegas adopts balanced FY27 budget with roughly $12 million surplus, prioritizes public safety and parks

The City of Las Vegas special joint session of the city council and redevelopment agency on May 20 approved the city and RDA fiscal year 2027 budgets, a package the administration said is balanced and includes a modest surplus.

"We're bringing to you an FY27 budget that is a balanced budget. It's a balanced budget, and it also has even a surplus," City Manager Mike Jansen said as he opened the administration's presentation on the tentative-to-final changes. The administration estimates the surplus at about $12 million and said restoring the general fund reserve is a priority.

Why it matters: The adopted plan maintains conservative revenue assumptions in light of recent inflation and higher fuel costs that could reduce visitation, while directing new resources to public safety, parks and targeted capital projects. The council and staff said the package positions the city to protect its bond rating by rebuilding reserves and to advance several multi-year capital priorities.

Key details and allocations

- Public safety: Administration and council emphasized public safety as the top spending priority. The FY27 budget supports the largest single-year set of fire and rescue investments in recent city history, including design and construction funding for multiple new and replacement fire stations, a fire training center, and equipment additions. "Public safety is our number one priority in the city of Las Vegas," Deputy City Manager Rosa Cortez said when reviewing the five-year capital program.

- Staffing and operating assumptions: The budget holds headcount growth to 27 net new full-time equivalents for FY27 (the majority earmarked for public safety) and uses department-specific vacancy rates to realize savings rather than a flat assumption. The administration said certain vacant positions remain in staffing plans but without current-year budget so they can be restored if revenues come in stronger than projected.

- Bonds and capital: The CFO, Susan Heltzley, described requests for bonding authority rather than immediate bond issuance: authorization for a $40 million transportation revenue bond (backed by motor-vehicle fuel taxes) and up to $50 million in RDA bonding authority, plus a $21 million park bond to fund several neighborhood park projects by ward. Heltzley said any actual bond issuance would return to the council for approval.

- Parks and CIP highlights: The FY27 capital program includes ward-specific park projects: design completion for Kellogg Air Soccer Complex and JC Leavitt Park, Mountain Ridge Park improvements, a neighborhood park near Smoke Ranch and Rainbow, the Teton Trails final buildout, and a firefighters' dog park. Many projects are funded by restricted revenue sources and bond proceeds.

- Revenues and reserves: The administration reported general fund revenues roughly in the $838 million range and emphasized reliance on consolidated (sales/transient) taxes and property tax. Staff presented conservative growth projections given recent CPI and producer-price trends and uncertainty in visitation. The budget is structured to rebuild fund balance toward policy targets supporting a strong bond rating.

Council action and process

Council member Miss Kelly moved to approve the RDA budget (item 4); the motion carried. Council then moved and approved the city's FY27 budget and five-year CIP (item 5); the transcript records the motions passing without roll-call tallies included in the record. Staff reminded the council that the final budget must be filed with the state by June 1 and the five-year CIP by August 1.

Administration notes and financial mechanics

CFO Heltzley said general fund expenditures fell from tentative to final by roughly $800,000 (which she described as "budget dust") after refinancings and adjustments. The city also recognized timing changes—some fire transport vehicles will be delivered this fiscal year rather than next—reducing next-year capital needs. Heltzley said internal-service and liability reserves were increased to cover rising workers'-compensation claims and pending litigation, and a $3.5 million non-cash recognition tied to software amortization was recorded under accounting standards.

What was not changed

No public commenters appeared during the itemized public hearing. The transcript does not record a detailed roll-call vote or member-by-member tallies for the motions; the record reflects only that the motions carried. Specific issuance amounts and timing for the transportation and RDA bonds remain subject to future council approvals and market conditions.

The next step

Staff will submit the finalized budget to the state by the June 1 deadline and file the five-year CIP by August 1. Council members and staff said they intend to monitor revenues and may restore positions from the decrement list during the year if revenues outperform the conservative assumptions.