FY2027 Budget: Outcome

Budget adopted 5-1: $149,942,154, which is $649,350 above the published book

The Moscow City Council adopted the FY2027 budget on a 5-1 vote at the August 17 hearing. Councilors used suspension of the rules to skip the normal three readings. Councilor Evan Holmes cast the only vote against it.

Mon, Aug 17 · 7:00 PM · Moscow City Hall Adopted 5-1

206 E Third St · regular council meeting, budget and fee resolution hearings

Results from the same meeting

Budget adopted 5-1. Ordinance 2026-05 sets the FY2027 total at $149,942,154. The council adopted it under suspension of the rules that normally require three readings.

One proposed cut died for lack of a second. Councilor Holmes moved to accept the budget on first reading minus the $130,000 parks master plan consultant line. No other councilor seconded the motion.

Fees adopted 6-0. The FY2027 fee resolution passed unanimously. New rates take effect October 1, 2026.

City property tax levy: $447,787 more. The council certified $9,445,604 in aggregate property tax (L-2, the tax worksheet the city files with the county), 6-0. The levy rate falls from $3.57 to $3.51 per $1,000 of assessed value.

34 written comments entered the official hearing record. Source: public comment attachment, meeting packet pages 215-248.

The road program fell and the stage held. The adopted total is above the June proposal.

The June proposed budget totaled $149,292,804. The adopted budget totals $149,942,154, an increase of $649,350. Of that growth, $562,276 is in the Capital Projects Fund.

The adopted budget cuts the roadway improvement program 36 percent, from $3,057,400 budgeted in FY2026 to $1,948,345 in FY2027. The East City Park stage is funded at $796,000, which is 41 percent of the adopted road line. Paths and crossings make up $1,209,800 of the adopted road line, or 62 percent. Street surface work totals $738,545. The stage costs more than all street surface work in the adopted budget.

The road line changed after publication. The City raised the Roadway Improvement Program (account 350-150-770-83) from $1,355,945 to $1,948,345 before the hearing, an increase of $592,400. The amendment added three grant-funded path and crossing projects: South Main Pedestrian Crossing at $859,800, N/S Mountain View at $205,000, and Reisenauer Path at $145,000. New grant revenue funds the increase: account 350-000-431-00 rose from $721,800 to $1,275,800. The budget book does not name the grant. The City replaced the posted budget book with the higher figures and added no amendment notation. Nobody stated the change aloud at the hearing. The June 12 published book, which was the public record through the hearing, showed a 55 percent road cut and a stage equal to 58.7 percent of the road line; that original is archived on this site. The City has been asked in writing to identify the grant, state when the revised book was posted, and confirm the hearing notice total.

Source: City of Moscow FY2027 budget book as amended and posted by the City, account 350-150-770-83; June 12, 2026 original (printed pp.306-311) archived at /budget-2027/docs/fy2027-proposed-budget.pdf; FY2026 comparison per the FY2027 book.

Residents spoke at the hearing on the stage, the fee increases, and street conditions. The full recording is linked below.

Property tax rate: $3.57 falls to $3.51 per $1,000 of assessed value. Total authorized increase: $447,787 ($243,582 from the 3 percent cap, $189,064 from new construction, $15,141 from foregone, meaning unused tax authority saved from past years). The city recovered the last $15,141 of foregone tax authority. The balance is now zero, permanently.

At the new rate, the city tax on a typical $400,000 Moscow home is about $965 for the year. Check your own number with the calculator.

Your fixed utility charges rise $6.41 a month on October 1

Stormwater: +$2.50 a month
Water: +$2.32 a month
Sewer: +$1.59 a month

Stormwater: $8.65 to $11.15 per ESU per month (one typical house equals one ESU) (+28.9%) Water: about +5.2% Sewer, residential: +2.7% Development and construction fees: about +5% New-home electrical permit: $0.13 to $0.15 per sq ft (+15.4%) Penalty for building without a permit: doubled Sanitation cart rates: unchanged

Fixed monthly charges for a typical single-family account rise $6.41 under the new rates: stormwater +$2.50, water +$2.32, sewer +$1.59. Usage-based water charges rise about 5 percent on top. Source: FY2027 Fee Resolution, adopted August 17, 2026, effective October 1, 2026.

What's next

Mon, Sep 21 Bid results

The Council considers the bid results September 21. City staff stated the date at the August 25 bid opening. Three bids came in August 25, all under the engineer's estimate.

Watch the meeting calendar

Next regular council meeting: the first council meeting after Labor Day, Tuesday, September 8, 2026 (moved from Monday for the Labor Day holiday; confirm on the city calendar).

Email the council about the bid award

Email the council before the bid-award vote

Sources

City Council meeting recording, August 17, 2026; the meeting agenda packet on CivicClerk, public comment attachment, pages 215-248; Ordinance 2026-05. Roadway figures: the FY2027 budget book as amended and posted by the City, account 350-150-770-83; the June 12 original (pp.306-311) is archived on this site. Stage figures: FY2027 budget book p.311. Fee figures: FY2027 Fee Resolution schedules; adopted totals: Ordinance 2026-05. Read more at the FY2027 budget tracker.