Budget Town Hall Wards 5 and 7 September 17 2026

The City of Annapolis held a Budget Town Hall for Wards 5 and 7 on September 17, 2026, to explain the municipal budget and gather resident priorities ahead of building the FY2028 budget. Officials said the current FY2027 budget kept the property tax rate unchanged and maintains funding for roads, sidewalks, traffic safety, public safety, and community facilities. They described the operating-budget process and capital improvement planning, including an effort to make CIP schedules more realistic so funded projects are more likely to advance in the year budgeted. Residents also discussed tax revenues, public safety spending, and how to prioritize city services.

Procurement- and spending-related items included nearly $3 million for roadway and sidewalk work (about $2.5 million initially, plus $500,000 added by the council); a funded bike and pedestrian trail connection in Ward 5, with construction expected to begin in 2027; and design work for Stanton Center upgrades. The city said a peak-hours medic unit is being funded at an estimated total cost of about $600,000, with the county contributing just under $300,000; state funding of $1 million was used to purchase two ambulances, one for replacement and one for the new unit. The council had also added $80,000 to extend hours at the Pip Moyer Recreation Center, though implementation was still pending. Officials anticipated moving Hillman Garage to post-payment by fall and, by the end of 2027, using one vendor and payment system across all four garages; no vendor was named and no contract award or procurement vote was reported. They noted rising fire-apparatus costs and longer delivery times, as well as potential cost uncertainty from tariffs.