# 10-07-2026 Common Council Meeting & 2027 Budget Presentation

The Ithaca Common Council meeting and 2027 budget presentation took place October 7, 2026. The acting city manager and finance officials presented a proposed $97,100,131 budget, including a 1.7% property-tax levy increase—below the calculated 3.08% tax-cap limit. The proposal includes a $2.2 million property-sale revenue assumption, $3 million in interfund transfers (including $1.6 million for capital-project reimbursements), $771,000 in health-insurance reform savings, and reductions including 14 eliminated positions and up to 18 positions held vacant. Officials cited rising vendor and contract costs, health insurance, retiree benefits, and wages as major cost pressures. The presentation outlined a five-year capital plan and recommended funding for regular police-patrol fleet replacement; detailed capital-project review was scheduled for a later meeting. No contract awards, vendor selections, or bids were approved. Council tabled the local law that would authorize a tax-cap override, 9–1, while the proposed budget itself remained under the cap and was not adopted at this meeting.

Council approved the sidewalk improvement district assessments budget and work plan, 9–1. Public commenters urged reconsideration of the closed Seneca Street parking garage and requested an engineering review and cost comparison of repair, demolition, and rebuilding; no garage action was taken. The council also approved salary increases for the mayor and council members, a budget-related spending decision: the mayor’s salary adjustment to $52,166.40 passed 7–3, and the council salary adjustment was approved. Other decisions included amendments to advisory-group rules and approval of a temporary Cornell-related event-permit moratorium; these were not procurement awards.

**Jurisdictions:** sled
**Industries:** Construction & Infrastructure
**Topics:** Physical Infrastructure
**Published:** October 07, 2026

### Sources
- [10-07-2026 Common Council Meeting & 2027 Budget Presentation](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUz75JX4WIE) - City of Ithaca Public Meetings