The Surprise City Council gave their final stamp of approval on the city’s Fiscal Year 2026 Budget this past Tuesday, outlining substantial investments in a range of strategic areas. According to a recent press release by the city's official website, the finalized $985.7 million budget emphasizes bolstering public safety, improving transportation, and enhancing the overall community experience.
The budget will see the addition of 91.5 new positions, building up staff numbers to support the Council’s objectives. Specifically, this includes a midyear addition of four posts in FY2025 and an inclusion of 87.5 positions slated for FY2026. Roles in critical sectors such as public safety will see an augmentation with 30 new employees, while transportation and street maintenance are set to gain an additional 12 workers. Water resource management and community services are also on the agenda to receive 10 and 6.5 new staff members, respectively, reflecting the council's prioritization of these core services.
In tandem with operational growth, the city's financial blueprint encompasses a five-year capital improvement endeavor. This program will continue to lean on voter-approved General Obligation Bond funding from 2023, reserved specifically for transportation upgrades and the construction of public safety facilities such as a fresh police substation. The city outlines that these fiscal maneuvers aim not only to kickstart new projects but also to sustain and upgrade the existing infrastructure.
Of the total budget, different segments are allocated to various funds, addressing both routine operations and long-term projects: the General Fund will receive $268 million, while Capital Projects will demand $294.6 million. Furthermore, the Enterprise Funds, encompassing self-sustaining services such as water, have been apportioned $217.9 million and other governmental funds constitute $205.2 million of the overall package.
To provide some relief to taxpayers, the FY2026 budget also proposes a cut in the primary property tax rate from the previous year, setting it at $0.5534 per $100 of assessed value—a noticeable decrease from last year's $0.5693 rate. As per the city’s press release, this reduction represents an approximate 28% decrease over two years. On the flip side, the secondary property tax rate remains constant. The final step left in this budgetary process is Council's confirmation of the property tax rates on June 17.
