2026-11-03 Council

The City of Newcastle City Council’s November 3, 2026 meeting included public hearings on revenue sources and the property-tax levy, the preliminary 2027 budget, and an update to the 2027 Capital Facilities Program. The proposed maximum property-tax levy was $6,882,920, a 4.3% ($284,000) increase over the prior year, with a projected rate of $1.07632 per $1,000 of assessed value; adoption was scheduled for November 17. The preliminary budget showed $26,591,215 in revenue and $28,290,444 in expenditures, with an estimated $1,332,797 deficit. No contracts, vendors, or procurement awards were discussed.

Council considered Ordinance 2026-696 to update the capital-project list so it aligns with the preliminary budget; staff described the change as a housekeeping update with no policy or fiscal impact. A motion and second to adopt the ordinance were recorded, but the vote outcome is unclear in the transcript. Public testimony raised questions about trail and cemetery-access projects, project status, and infrastructure needs; council noted that listing projects does not itself authorize their funding. The city manager also reported that a transportation benefit district process may be set in motion at the November 17 meeting and that Newcastle may apply for a public-safety sales-tax allocation, subject to council action.