by SC Reporter Emilie Alfino
The City Council held its first required budget hearing, at which it voted unanimously to adopt the tentative 2.5 millage rate and the tentative FY26 budget of $216,061,856 – a 7.35 percent decrease from FY2025.
The final budget hearing will be on September 25, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. in MacKenzie Hall, 800 Dunlop Road.
Although it is too late for this budget, Vice Mayor Holly Smith proposed adding $75,000 for a federal lobbyist, and the Council suggested establishing a $740,000 reserve for payment of the principal on the bridge loan.
Council also considered a future stormwater assessment. City Manager Dana Souza did mention that the city’s spending plan is based on a year without a storm.