October 19, 2026 Budget Committee

The Minneapolis City Council Budget Committee held a public hearing on October 19, 2026, to receive comments on Mayor Jacob Frey’s recommended 2027 budget. Staff described a proposed citywide budget of about $2.29 billion, including approximately $2.15 billion in expenditures, a general fund operating budget of about $738 million excluding transfers and independent boards, and roughly 4,285 FTE positions—about seven fewer than in 2026. The mayor’s recommendation proposed an 11.3% city property-tax levy increase; staff noted that the Board of Estimate and Taxation set higher maximum levies for the Park Board and the Board itself, bringing the overall maximum increase to 11.9%. The proposal responds to rising service costs and budget imbalances through spending reductions, including personnel and contract cuts, consolidations, and service changes, while increasing resources for areas such as public-safety staffing, overtime, and settlement costs.

Public testimony largely urged the Council to restore or preserve proposed reductions, including $4 million in franchise-fee funding for climate and home-weatherization programs; Homegrown Minneapolis; labor-standards co-enforcement; violence-interruption and LEAD programs; and housing inspection and other community services. Speakers also raised concerns about police overtime and spending, affordability and the proposed property-tax increase, and potential effects of staff and service reductions. Several speakers cited outside grant funding or program results in support of continued funding. This was a public-comment hearing; no budget vote, contract award, or procurement action is recorded in the transcript.