Aiken council adopts 2026-27 budget; no property tax hike, utility rates to rise

Aiken City Manager Stuart Beenbo said the city council recently adopted the budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026. He said the budget does not include a property tax increase but does include rate increases for water, sewer, stormwater and solid waste services.

"No property tax increase is included in the budget, but several rate increases for water, sewer, storm water, and solid waste services," Beenbo said, adding that the adjustments were made "only after a lot of study and great care to ensure the most efficient operations can be gained."

Beenbo did not provide vote tallies or the full text of the budget during the remarks; he framed the changes as a means to maintain efficient operations. Additional budget documents and the official ordinance adopting the budget were not presented in the update and would be the authoritative sources for exact rates and vote records.

The manager said the administration will publish further information about rates and implementation timelines for residents.