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<br /> <br />REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION <br />Date: 3/3/2025 <br />Item No.: 7.j. <br />Department Approval City Manager Approval <br /> <br /> <br />Item Description: Establishing the 2026 Budget Process Calendar <br />1 <br />2 Background <br />3 In the last several budget cycles, the City Council established a general process and <br />4 timeline (calendar) for setting the following year’s budget, property tax levy, utility rates, and <br />5 fee schedule. Given the significance of the budget process and the substantial amount of <br />6 time and resources it commands, the Council is encouraged to establish a calendar early in <br />7 the process to demonstrate a commitment to: <br />8 Defining program and service outcomes <br />9 Identifying the associated property taxes & fees necessary to achieve those <br />10 outcomes <br />11 Providing opportunities for public participation <br />12 While the discussion of these and other key elements of the budget process may require <br />13 some scheduling flexibility, there are a few statutory dates that the Council will need to <br />14 adhere to, including the setting of a preliminary (September 30) and final property tax levy <br />15(December 31) as well as holding a final budget hearing (after November 24). Historically <br />16 the city has held a final budget hearing at one meeting and then adopted the budget at the <br />17 next scheduled meeting. <br />18 <br />19 With these statutory dates in mind and inconsideration of the steps used in last year’s <br />20 process, Staff are tentatively suggesting the following budget calendar: <br />21 <br />Page 1 of 3 <br />Qbhf!99!pg!242 <br /> <br />