Council Quickies: City Manager Proposes Fiscal Year ’26 Budget
City Manager Marcus Jones presented his proposed Fiscal Year 2026 budget to Charlotte City Council during a quick meeting.
Council members were not able to ask specific questions or carry out in-depth discussions of the budget tonight as they received the 500-page book for the first time as they entered the meeting. They will have a chance for discussion following the May 12 public forum.
This year’s proposed general fund budget sits at $943.5 million, a 5.2% increase from last year’s general fund budget, which was under $900 million.
The city is proposing a 2.5% raise for all city workers with CDL-related jobs and those who work second or third shifts, including police. Plus all-access CATs transit passes for all employees.
All hourly employees would receive a 4% raise, bringing their minimum pay up to $24 per hour or $49,920 annual salary.
Among the notable aspects of the budget that Jones went over during his 30-minute presentation was the proposed creation of a new Office of Youth Opportunities that will focus on serving people aged 13-24 who live in low-to-moderate-income households, live in the Corridors of Opportunity, and/or are at risk of becoming involved with violence or the justice system.
The new office will not come with any extra costs associated, as its formation will aim to better align the already existing programs that are currently being operated by different agencies such as Alternatives to Violence (Housing & Neighborhood Services), Peer Mediation (Community Relations), and Juvenile Diversion (CMPD).
Jones also revealed on Monday that his budget proposes the city move Animal Care & Control out from under CMPD’s control to be its own independent agency of the General Services department. Volunteers and staff have been calling for this move at public forums nearly every month for two years.
A search of the entire document showed no mentions of certain proposals from the People’s Budget Coalition, including a pilot program to provide certain apartment complexes with air conditioning units or creating a fund to help support victims of mass displacement.
Here are some other notable inclusions in the budget proposed Monday night by the city manager’s office:
- An additional $25.6 million to help Charlotte Fire Department ensure it meets its fire response time goals by constructing five firehouses (three new infill and two replacements) and expanding one existing firehouse to accommodate an additional fire company.
- The expansion of the 911 call center in CMPD headquarters and the Police and Fire Training Academy with $2 million in funding in FY ’26 for a project total of $9 million.
- Funds $30 million over the next four years for a satellite Animal Care and Control adoption facility that is currently in design.
- A 6.5% pay increase to most sworn police and fire employees who are not at the top pay step. Those who are at the top pay step receive a 1.5% increase and a 1.5% one-time bonus.
- While this is not a bond year so there is no new allocation to the Housing Trust Fund, the proposed budget does leverage more than $1.8 million in funding to support urgent home repair, affordable housing placement and high-quality naturally occurring affordable housing.
- Continued funding for the Alternatives to Violence program along Beatties Ford Road, funding for which was set to expire in the coming year, and funding for the expansion of Atrium Health’s hospital-based violence intervention program, Project BOOST.
- Funding to advance Strategic Energy Action Plan goals including $2.5 million to support the installation of sustainable infrastructure at city-owned facilities, plus funding for 45 electric vehicles to advance emissions reductions in the city’s fleet and 155 hybrid vehicles in addition to electric buses at the airport.
Charlotte City Council will host a public hearing on the proposed FY 2026 budget on May 12 followed by budget adjustments on May 19 and straw votes on May 29. Council will consider the budget for adoption on June 9. The 2026 fiscal year begins July 1.
