~ The City of Bloomington's proposed 2027 budget has been submitted to the Common Council by the Thomson Administration, marking the beginning of a public review process that will continue until early October. The budget proposal, along with raw budget data, the approved 2026 budget, and other relevant information can be accessed on the city's website at bloomington.in.gov/budget.

According to the proposal, the main focus is on maintaining essential municipal services for residents, protecting existing infrastructure and public assets, and allocating resources towards addressing issues such as housing, homelessness, public safety, and economic opportunity. The ultimate goal is to create a safe and well-maintained city where residents can find a sense of belonging along with good-paying jobs and affordable housing.

The City anticipates a decrease in local government revenue over the next few years due to changes in Indiana's property and income tax laws under Senate Enrolled Act 1 (SEA 1), with more significant impacts expected by 2029. In response to this potential loss of revenue, the Administration has proposed a conservative budget for 2027 and continues to explore long-term strategies to maintain essential services.

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Mayor Kerry Thomson stated that a tight budget requires clear priorities and honest tradeoffs. She emphasized that their focus is on delivering services that only municipal government can provide while also preserving public assets and addressing challenges that directly affect residents.

One significant aspect of the proposed budget is funding for replacing the City's outdated financial system with a modern platform that integrates with human resources tools. The current system no longer efficiently supports daily accounting work or provides detailed data necessary for outcomes-based budgeting. A new system would improve financial reporting, streamline work across departments, and support future budget decisions.

Each year, City departments and offices estimate their expenses for the upcoming year. The Controller's Office then compiles these requests, projects available revenue, and prepares financial documents for review by the Mayor. After reviewing these requests, the Mayor establishes the Administration's recommended spending priorities and submits the resulting proposal to the Common Council.

The Common Council will now review the proposal and vote on appropriation and tax-rate ordinances. They will also hold an official public hearing before making a final decision on adoption.

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Budget presentations will take place over two weeks at Bloomington City Hall in Council Chambers, located at 401 North Morton Street. The schedule is as follows:

- Monday, Aug. 17, 2026, at 5 p.m.: Opening remarks from the Office of the Mayor and the Controller, followed by presentations from Fire, Police (including Dispatch), Community and Family Resources (CFRD), and Housing and Neighborhood Development (HAND).

- Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026, at 5 p.m.: Presentations from Planning & Transportation, Engineering, Street, Parking, and Utilities.

- Monday, Aug. 24, 2026, at 5 p.m.: Presentations from Parks & Recreation, Economic & Sustainable Development (ESD), Public Works Administration, Animal Shelter, Facilities, Fleet, and Sanitation.

- Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026 at 5 p.m.: Presentations from Capital Improvement Board (CIB), Clerk's Office Common Council Office of the Mayor Office of the Controller Legal and Risk Management Human Resources Information Technology Services (ITS).

All budget presentations are open to the public and can be watched live on CATS or through Zoom. The City's public meeting calendar will have more information on Zoom links and meeting details.

The official public hearing on the budget is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 23rd at 6:30 p.m., with final budget adoption set for Wednesday Oct.7th at 6:30 p.m.

For those interested in learning more about the proposed budget for 2027 or accessing raw budget data or information about previous budgets can visit bloomington.in.gov/budget.

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