City Council Special Meeting: Budget Adoption
What was decided
- 3anot chapteredConsideration of an ordinance amending and readopting Chapter 90, Article II, Division 1, Section 90-33 – Commercial/Industrial Real Property Transportation Tax Rate
Approved unanimously (6-0). Ordinance 2026-04 adopted, setting the 2026 commercial/industrial real property transportation tax rate at $0.125 per $100 of assessed value.
Passed, unanimous- Ordinance 2026-04approvedOrdinance 2026-04 was adopted unanimously, readopting Chapter 90, Article II, Division 1, Section 90-33 and setting the 2026 commercial/industrial real property transportation tax rate at $0.125 per $100 of assessed value (no change from 2025).
- 3bnot chapteredConsideration of an ordinance amending Chapter 102, Article II, Section 102-31(b) – Wastewater Utility Rate Increase of 6.0 Percent
Approved unanimously (6-0). Ordinance 2026-05 adopted, increasing wastewater utility rates by 6.0 percent.
Passed, unanimous- Ordinance 2026-05approvedOrdinance 2026-05 was adopted unanimously, increasing City wastewater utility rates by 6.0 percent effective FY27, raising the residential minimum quarterly rate to $72.45 for the first 5,000 gallons.
- Noman Cole Wastewater Treatment PlantThe rate increase is partly driven by the City's 6.27% capacity share in the Noman M. Cole Wastewater Treatment Plant, which requires major capital upgrades due to federal regulations and aging infrastructure.
- 3cnot chapteredConsideration of an ordinance amending Chapter 102, Article V, Section 102-203(b) – Stormwater Utility Rate at $36.02 per BU (5.0 Percent Increase)
Approved unanimously (6-0). Ordinance 2026-06 adopted, setting the stormwater utility rate at $36.02 per Billing Unit for the calendar year beginning January 1, 2026.
Passed, unanimous- Ordinance 2026-06approvedOrdinance 2026-06 was adopted unanimously, setting the stormwater utility rate at $36.02 per Billing Unit for calendar year 2026, a 5.0 percent increase from the prior rate.
- 3dnot chapteredConsideration of an ordinance amending Chapter 90, Article VI, Section 90-262 – Tax on Meals Increase
Approved 4-2 (Hall and McQuillen opposed). Ordinance 2026-07 adopted, increasing the meals tax rate from 4.0% to 4.5% effective July 1, 2026.
Passed 4–2- Ordinance 2026-07approvedOrdinance 2026-07 was adopted 4-2, increasing the City meals tax from 4.0% to 4.5% effective July 1, 2026; Councilmembers Hall and McQuillen voted in opposition.
- 3enot chapteredConsideration of an ordinance amending Chapter 90, Article VII, Section 90-302 – Transient Occupancy Tax Increase
Approved unanimously (6-0). Ordinance 2026-08 adopted, increasing the Transient Occupancy Tax rate from 4.0% to 10.5% effective July 1, 2026.
Passed, unanimous- Ordinance 2026-08approvedOrdinance 2026-08 was adopted unanimously, raising the Transient Occupancy Tax from 4.0% to 10.5% effective July 1, 2026.
- 3fnot chapteredConsideration of an ordinance amending Chapter 14, Article II, Division 2 – Business License Tax Increase
Approved unanimously (6-0). Ordinance 2026-09 adopted, increasing annual business license (BPOL) tax rates on certain business classifications effective January 1, 2027.
Passed, unanimous- Ordinance 2026-09approvedOrdinance 2026-09 was adopted unanimously, increasing the BPOL tax rate for financial, real estate, and professional services from $0.40 to $0.45 per $100 of gross receipts, and for other business categories from $0.27 to $0.30 per $100 of gross receipts, effective January 1, 2027.
- 3gnot chapteredConsideration and appropriation of the FY 2027 Budget, FY 2027 Schedule of Rates and Levies, FY 2027–2031 Capital Improvement Program, and establishment of Real Estate and Personal Property Tax Rates
All motions approved unanimously (6-0). Council adopted the full FY 2027 Budget with all sub-funds, the FY 2027–2031 CIP, the Schedule of Rates and Levies, employee compensation adjustments, established tax rates (real estate at $1.0725/$100; personal property/machinery and tools at $4.13/$100; volunteer fire/rescue at $0.01/$100), and approved appropriation resolutions R-26-16 through R-26-24.
Passed, unanimous · 4 motions on this item- R-26-16approvedResolution R-26-16 appropriating the General Fund for FY 2027 was approved unanimously.
- R-26-17approvedResolution R-26-17 appropriating the Capital Fund for FY 2027 was approved unanimously.
- R-26-18approvedResolution R-26-18 appropriating the Wastewater Fund for FY 2027 was approved unanimously.
- R-26-19approvedResolution R-26-19 appropriating the Transit Fund for FY 2027 was approved unanimously.
- R-26-20approvedResolution R-26-20 appropriating the Stormwater Utility Fund for FY 2027 was approved unanimously.
- R-26-21approvedResolution R-26-21 appropriating the Cable Grant Fund for FY 2027 was approved unanimously.
- R-26-22approvedResolution R-26-22 appropriating the Old Town Service District Fund for FY 2027 was approved unanimously.
- R-26-23approvedResolution R-26-23 appropriating the Transportation Tax Fund for FY 2027 was approved unanimously.
- R-26-24approvedResolution R-26-24 appropriating the Debt Service Fund for FY 2027 was approved unanimously.
- FY 2027 BudgetapprovedThe full FY 2027 Budget, incorporating all sub-fund budgets, the Schedule of Rates and Levies, the FY 2027–2031 CIP, employee compensation adjustments, and the Budget Adjustment Sheet, was adopted unanimously by the City Council.
- FY2027-FY2031 Capital Improvement ProgramapprovedwikiThe FY 2027–2031 Capital Improvement Program was adopted as part of the overall FY 2027 budget package, approved unanimously.
- Fairfax Renaissance Housing ProgramThe adopted FY 2027 budget restores funding to the Fairfax Renaissance Housing Program, as noted in Councilmember Hall's statement.
- Beacon Landingin progresswikiThe adopted FY 2027 budget includes a one-time grant to support Beacon Landing, as noted in Councilmember Hall's statement.
Presented
- 2aPublic hearing on appropriation resolutions for the General, Capital, Wastewater, Transit, Stormwater, Cable, Old Town, Transportation Tax, and Debt Service Funds for the FY27 budget year · Public hearing held. J.C. Martinez presented the staff report. One member of the public (David Gellar) spoke in opposition to the real estate tax rate. Mayor closed the hearing; action deferred to item 3g.
- FY 2027 Appropriation ResolutionsproposedPublic hearing on appropriation resolutions for all major City funds was held; no action taken at this item, with formal consideration deferred to agenda item 3g.
Named in discussion
Tracked topics the transcript names that no agenda item is filed under. Their own pages and wikis do not yet record this meeting; the passages below are the only trace.
- Meals Tax7 passages, 5m
“…you. Mayor, Council, Section 90-262 of the City Code. currently provides for a 4% meals tax. The proposed ordinance would increase the amount of the meals tax to 4.5% as set forth in the city manager's recommended FY27 budget. The effective date of this…”
- Stormwater Utility6 passages, 4m
“…appropriation resolutions are needed for the general capital wastewater transit stormwater utility cable Old Town transportation tax and debt service funds in order to implement the FY 2027 budget the amounts contained in the attached staff reports and…”
“…together with the FY 2027 schedule of rates and levies the FY 2027 through 2031 capital improvement program and the establishment of the corresponding real estate tax rate and the personal property tax rates I'll recognize JC Martinez our assistant city…”