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SALEM – The annual city tax budget for fiscal year 2026 has been approved.
Discussed at length in a May 28 meeting of the finance committee, City Auditor Sal Salvino said that the annual tax budget was functionally "an estimate of revenues and expenses" for the upcoming year, which he stressed is not binding. Salvino said that in assembling the 2026 tax budget he had been "fairly conservative" in his estimates.
Those estimates project the city's general fund revenue of $6,762,307.07 to continue to be outpaced by the city's expenses which it projects at $7,495,190 for 2026. This would represent a $732,882.93 shortfall to be covered by the city's anticipated 2025 year-end carryover balance of $1,300,511.08, for an estimated 2026 carryover balance of $567,628.15.
City council also voted six to one, with Councilman Evan Newman casting the dissenting vote, to approve an update to the city's wage ordinance which removed language limiting the number of positions for seasonal parks department employees like Centennial Park pool staff and lake attendants so personnel numbers can be adjusted in response to demand. The update also changes the health department's Director of Nursing position from a part-time to full-time position while lowering the starting salary from $25 per hour to $24 per hour.
An update to the language of the city's ordinance which regulates the use of bicycles and mobility vehicles on public streets and roadways to clarify that recent updates extending those regulations to the use of scooters in November apply to both electric and non-electric scooters.
Other financial matters approved included the annual resolution to approve an alternative method of apportionment of local government fund monies, an ordinance approving appropriations and transfers, and an ordinance approving reductions in appropriations.
During his report Councilman Jeff Stockman announced that the rules and ordinances committee would meet at 6 p.m. June 24 to discuss updates to several city ordinances, including the long-discussed animal ordinance, starting with legislative solution to issues with the feral cat population recently raised by residents.
The city council will meet next at 7 p.m. on July 1.