Council adopts 2027 CIP with $40.67 million next-year budget; debt portion highlighted

Finance committee presenter Joe (finance staff) told the council the finance committee recommended a five-year CIP totaling $179,539,873 and a 2027 budget of $40,675,107. He highlighted the funding breakout and cautioned that roughly $20 million of the five-year plan was shown as general-obligation debt, the portion that most directly affects the tax levy.

"The thing I really want to draw your attention to ... is that slightly over $20,000,000 shown as general obligation debt," the finance presenter told the council, noting staff efforts to limit future annual levy increases to under 3% per year. Alderperson Piper moved to recommend the 2027 CIP to the full council and take amendments; after in-meeting amendments (removing Flock funding and restoring a $50,000 library-locker project) the council approved the CIP as amended with a recorded vote of 12-1.

Alderperson Piper said the operating-budget review would follow in September and October and encouraged alderpersons and the public to participate in finance-committee sessions. The councils final approval reflected adjustments taken on the floor, with the adopted 2027 CIP and five-year totals cited as $40,669,107 and $179,297,873 respectively.

The finance presentation included a tax-levy projection showing a 2.89% increase in the levy for debt-servicing capital in 2027, and staff noted that previous years had shown larger jumps tied to major projects such as a city hall/police building and pool work. Council members asked funding-source and execution questions during subsequent amendment debates, particularly on sidewalks and library projects.