Mayor & Council Budget Work Session: April 13, 2026

The April 13, 2026 budget work session of the Gaithersburg Mayor and Council focused on a detailed review of the proposed FY27 budget totaling $222 million across seven funds, representing a 29% increase primarily driven by capital investments. City officials presented revenue projections, including real estate and income taxes, and discussed the use of approximately $15 million in reserves to support capital projects. The budget includes wage and benefit increases, new personnel additions such as a police officer and part-time interns, and enhancements to city services aligned with strategic priorities. Several fee schedule updates were proposed, including new solar permit fees and optional rapid permit issuance services to improve permitting efficiency. The capital improvement plan highlighted $70 million in non-stormwater projects for FY27, including infrastructure upgrades, facility renovations, and technology initiatives like artificial intelligence adoption. Transfers to the capital improvement fund and other funds were detailed, with an emphasis on maintaining fiscal sustainability without tax increases. The session concluded with a five-year financial forecast projecting conservative revenue growth and expenditure increases, and outlined next steps for public input and budget adoption.