[This transcript was generated automatically from audio using AI and hasn't been reviewed by a person -- it can contain mistakes, including plausible-sounding sentences that were never actually said. Treat it as a starting point, not a verbatim record.]

[0:01] A call of the meeting to order. This is a special meeting on the FY27 proposed city budget.
[0:10] First up, I call
[0:11] Kristian Simmons to give a presentation on the proposed budget. Kristian,
[0:18] afternoon mayor,
[0:19] pro-tim, and council.
[0:26] All right, so I'll give a quick briefing on the fiscal year 27 budget,
[0:29] just as a reminder, this is a very abbreviated version of what we're presenting still currently
[0:33] presenting out in the council district. So we've done eight of 10 public engagement meetings have
[0:38] left this week. This public hearing provides just another touch point for residents to make public
[0:44] comments on the fiscal year 27 budget as proposed. The themes of this year's budget have really
[0:49] been centered around the terrain appraisal districts reappraisal plan and the effect that that's
[0:54] having on our revenues. And we've had to balance the budget with reductions across the general fund
[1:01] as well as some revenue and fee increases. We've maintained the debt service rate and the pay
[1:06] tax rate for cash investment infrastructure.
[1:10] The total operating budget for fiscal year 27 is recommended at $3.3 billion across all of
[1:15] the operating funds.
[1:16] The general fund seeing about 4.6% growth followed by enterprise funds and special revenue
[1:21] funds as the other two big operating categories.
[1:26] The recommended tax rate, as proposed by the City Manager on August 11 was 70.2 cents,
[1:31] which has 3.2% increase from the current tax rate of $67 since for $100 valuation.
[1:38] Since the time we recommended the budget on August 11th, Council has asked the most seems
[1:44] like a majority to restore some items to the budget that were originally recommended to
[1:48] be frozen or eliminated.
[1:50] You see some of the detail here and so a couple of weeks ago we delivered to U.S. Council
[1:55] the impact to the tax rate of restoring those services and positions, so the tax rate
[2:00] that would be 70.565 cents. Both the 70.2 and 70.565 tax rates still result in
[2:09] a savings on the average taxpayer or residents home value or their tax bill for the following
[2:16] year. And that's because home values are falling.
[2:21] At the same time we do the operating budget,
[2:23] we also update the five-year capital plan. And so you see here that the fiscal year 27 capital plan
[2:29] is $1.03 billion, the large majority of that being water, with a total capital plan over
[2:34] the five years of about $3.8 billion.
[2:38] So that brings us to a total recommended budget for fiscal year 27 of $4.35 billion
[2:43] slightly down from the current year's budget on the capital side.
[2:48] I mentioned that we're in the middle of community engagement now, so we've done eight of
[2:51] 10 meetings.
[2:52] We have Districts 3 and 10 remaining this week.
[2:54] This is the statutory required budget public hearing, but I think we do a nice job in
[2:59] or worth of getting out to our districts and having a lot of interaction with residents.
[3:03] All those meetings are live streamed and can be viewed backwards as well.
[3:08] So residents have a lot of opportunity to learn more details of the budget.
[3:11] Again, this is just a briefing of what we've been presenting.
[3:14] City Council scheduled now to adopt the budget on September 15th alongside the tax rate.
[3:20] And with that, I'll take any questions.
[3:21] Great questions from Council.
[3:25] Seeing none.
[3:26] If we have one speaker that signed up to speak, Adrian Smith.
[3:33] Adrian Smith, District 9.
[3:36] I am warm with the people.
[3:40] First of all say thank you to the staff of what...
[3:44] ...if it's you all put in to ensure that our city is moving forward.
[3:48] However,
[3:53] in $97 million operating deficit for the 2027 fiscal year, there will have a direct impact
[4:01] on the livelihoods of the residents who make our city home.
[4:07] Now, no one has taken accountability, but you did ensure to implement the typical town
[4:15] down meetings to convince the public that somehow you have their best interest at
[4:25] hoard.
[4:26] Let's be clear, regardless of the current property tax valuation being at a lower revenue rate,
[4:35] it again isn't the only causation for our current flight.
[4:41] Until we are ready to have an honest discussion regarding the reckless spending, which starts here,
[4:52] which is a majority of our play, our city will continue to suffer.
[4:57] Now we've already made previous cuts.
[5:00] That's two things, and we cut, and then we're like, you all want to add two. I don't shine a figure this out. So we don't want meetings. We don't want meetings for empty promises, you asked. So you've done eight. We've got two more to conduct. But those meetings are never for when you think about it. And me and myself, I don't attend them. It's unnecessary. I come here enough. But for better government efficiency, again, I'll go back to some of my previous points.
[5:31] We need a new city manager, new ideas, new perspectives, and someone who's neutral to
[5:40] what's been a full work way.
[5:43] We need a new mayor because everything begins and ends with the mayor, and God is good
[5:47] a bad.
[5:49] As far as the council representatives,
[5:53] we need those who are putting the people first, and you
[5:56] know in your heart if you are putting your constituents first.
[5:59] I can't speak to that. You know, we need to return stand-alone voting to
[6:09] gender items. We need to restore remote speaking, place the public comment to the top of the agenda.
[6:18] And my question is, I have a question. What is this calls to notice as taxpayers regarding
[6:22] this upcoming demolition of the forward competition? What were their calls to us?
[6:29] So, hopefully, we can get this right because it seems like we're going back what's.
[6:36] Thank you.
[6:37] Thank you, Mr. Smith.
[6:39] We have another speakers.
[6:41] Council, looking for motion, Michael.
[6:42] I think you had something ready.
[6:50] Try that.
[6:54] Hello.
[6:55] There we go.
[6:56] Thanks.
[6:58] Adrian, thanks for your comments.
[6:59] I would say to anybody as part of this process.
[7:01] So we've got two more of these budget meetings.
[7:03] Tomorrow night I have one in District 3 at RD Evans at 6.30, I believe, is that right?
[7:09] Make sure.
[7:10] At 6, I've attended the one in District 6, and I'll say that the staff does a good job
[7:15] with City Manager and staff of laying out what this budget looks like, priorities, staff sitting
[7:21] right behind you can answer any of your questions because they keep answering all the
[7:25] hours.
[7:26] And there's another one in District 10, I know everybody's had theirs, but I encourage anybody
[7:30] to go and get their questions answered directly. I don't think it's a waste of time, especially
[7:35] given the complexity of our budget. So with that, I do have a motion. It says I move to
[7:39] close the public hearing and to continue the consideration of the budget to the September 15th meeting.
[7:46] Okay, we have a motion in a second. Please go ahead and vote.
[7:50] You
[7:57] want other screens up?
[7:58] Here we go.
[8:11] That can you got it?
[8:12] Great.
[8:13] Thank you.
[8:13] That motion passes.
[8:17] That concludes the public hearing on the budget.
[8:20] City Council is expected to vote on the budget at our September 15th City Council meeting.
[8:24] Which will begin at 6 p.m.
[8:26] Here in the council chamber.
[8:28] At that same meeting we will hold the public hearing on the property tax rate and vote on that as well.
[8:35] Council, they concludes our business and we are adjourned.