Saratoga Springs council tables interim budget after split votes over executive pay increase

Staff presented the city’s required property-tax impact schedule and tentative (interim) budget as part of the property-tax process, noting a proposed tax-rate change from 0.976 to 1.524 that “anticipates a rate increase … to generate approximately $3.1 million,” staff said. The presentation explained the interim budget will remain in effect until the final budget vote at the August truth-and-taxation hearing.

The debate centered on a budgeted net merit pool for executive municipal officers. Council Member Taylor moved to approve the 2027 interim budget “except for changing the net merit increase budget from 5% to 4%.” Taylor framed the amendment as a way to reduce the projected cost while preserving flexibility for needed individual adjustments.

Several councilors said they wanted more time to study the change. Council Member Wilson said she wanted “more time personally” to consult other cities before altering the figure and expressed willingness to support a 4% cap only after additional study. Other councilors argued the 5% figure is a budgeted maximum that does not automatically become an entitlement and that management discretion should be preserved for retention needs.

The motion to adopt the interim budget with the 4% cap failed on a roll call vote (Davenport and Taylor in favor; Wadman, Barton and Wilson opposed). Following that vote, the council approved a separate motion to table public-hearing item two (the interim budget) until the next council meeting and directed staff to schedule a working session to give councilors more time to review and ask questions. That tabling motion passed 3–2.

What happens next: staff will schedule the requested working session to provide additional detail on the budget and personnel assumptions. The interim/tentative budget process continues toward the August 11 truth-and-taxation meeting, where a final budget vote and property-tax decisions are scheduled.

Quotes and attribution in this article come from the meeting transcript and are attributed to staff and council members using their names or roles as they appear in the record.