Hunter
04/22/26
The Iowa City City Council approved the Fiscal Year 2027 budget at their Tuesday meeting.
The Daily Iowan reports the resolution was approved in a vote of 5-2, with Councilors Megan Alter, Shawn Harmsen, Josh Moe, Mazahir Salih, and Mayor Bruce Teague voting in favor, with Laura Bergus and Oliver Weilein voting against it.
Bergus and Weilein contested the budget for the police department, which would total to $18.6 million, 0.25 percent less than fiscal year 2026. Bergus said although she has great respect for police, she said increasing investment in the Department, quote, “is not optimizing safety and care in our community.” Weilein said the city hasn’t invested enough in community response.
The two proposed a Community Response Fund as an amendment to the budget. That amendment was approved and sets aside over $160,000 towards a pilot program where mobile crisis workers would be placed downtown to assist in de-escalating situations.
The property tax levy rate has dropped by 10 cents per $1000 of value.
The total budget for Fiscal Year 2027 is roughly $135 million.
The full story from the Daily Iowan can be accessed at the link below.
https://dailyiowan.com/2026/04/22/ic-city-council-approves-budget-slight-reduction-in-police-funding/