TIFTON — The City of Tifton has finalized its budget for the 2025-2026 Fiscal Year.

City council members approved the proposed 2025-2026 budget during their June 16 meeting, optimistic over the decreases to projected spending and the solid state of many of the city’s funds and projects.

In reviewing the budget plan at their June 9 workshop, acting city manager and chief financial officer Larry Lawrence reported that the city’s budget for the upcoming fiscal year totaled at around $74.05 million, a $9,422,651 decrease from the previous year’s budget. This decrease had mainly resulted from the $6,095,365 decrease in capital projects expenditures, he explained.

The city’s general fund saw a 6.2% decrease to $19,185,947, with water and solid waste funds slightly decreased, the sewer fund mostly unchanged, and the gas fund projected by the Georgia Municipal Gas Authority to increase slightly.

Other city funds, like ARPA funds, SPLOST VI and VII, the theatre fund, and grant funds saw little to no change or a slight decrease.

Lawrence was optimistic regarding the fund balance of the general fund, projecting a balance of $15.5 million by the end of the year that would equate to around nine months of reserve for operating expenditures

In particular, he stated that the water, sewer, and gas funds had been projected for steady balances by the end of the fiscal year and been deemed sufficient for several years.

Solid waste, however, was operating on a tighter budget; Lawrence reported that the fund would only be at $2.5 million by the end of the year, while the city-county landfill was quickly approaching full capacity, currently sitting at 93% and estimated to be full by January 22, 2027.

The interim city manager stated that the city would need to increase the tipping fee so as to widen the gap between their revenue and expenditures, which would grant them additional financial assurance for the closure and post-closure of the landfill.

Thankfully, they had already accrued more than enough to cover the $14.7 million required for these proceedings, but would need an additional $726,515 for covering the remaining 7% of the landfill left to be filled that they would need to build up over the next year and a half.

Regarding their planned projects, Lawrence reported that the city would be receiving over $15 million in grants and special taxes, some made possible through a handful of Tifton’s achievements, such as the WaterFirst Community and Georgia Initiative for Community Housing designation.

With this funding to support the city’s locally sourced funds, Lawrence felt confident that the city would have no trouble funding their projected infrastructure and community improvement projects, including vehicle and equipment replacements or upgrades for numerous city departments, the construction of the new Fulwood Park stage, pavings, repairs, and replacements of several sidewalks and roads, and improvements to City Hall and the Tift Theatre.