By: Brian Wells | Roseville-Eastpointe Eastsider | Published May 6, 2026
ROSEVILLE — Roseville officials are projecting a modest surplus and continued financial stability in the city’s 2026-27 fiscal year budget, though declining state revenue remains a concern.
During a presentation at the City Council’s April 28 meeting, John Walters, the city’s controller, outlined a general fund budget of about $48.9 million in revenue, which he said is roughly $1.5 million higher than the previous year.
The increase, he said, is largely driven by increases in property tax collections.
“Our most significant source of revenue is property taxes. That’s about 56%, which is consistent with last year, and that’s up about a million dollars from last year,” Walters said.
At the same time, state-shared revenue, which he said is the city’s second-largest funding source, is projected to decline slightly to just under $6.3 million following recent state budget changes, continuing a long-term trend that he said has limited the city’s ability to expand services.
“This is one of our ongoing challenges,” he said.
Total general fund expenditures are expected to reach about $48.5 million, he said, leaving an estimated $400,000 surplus. Public safety continues to account for the largest share of spending, with police and fire services making up roughly 45% of the budget.
“The Police Department continues to be our largest department, about 29% of the total. The Fire Department is our second-most significant department at 16%. … So, our spending continues to support all of our essential operations, our infrastructure and our public safety,” he said. “There’s slight increases with each department for inflation and contractual rates of pay and such, but no significant increases in any department.”
The budget also includes about $556,000 in federal Community Development Block Grant funding for local programs and organizations.
Walters’ presentation projected the city’s revenue for the next five years. While it showed stability for the city’s general fund, in 2032 it showed a slight decrease, which Mayor Robert Taylor questioned.
Walters said he plans for an increase of 3% in property taxes each year. However, he also has salary increases at 3% each year and is accounting for an expected increase in healthcare costs.
“Healthcare is trending higher than that, so health care costs are going up,” he said. “That’s why you kind of see it going down a little bit.”
A public hearing for the budget was held during the meeting; however, no residents spoke.
The City Council voted unanimously to approve both the CDBG budget and the city’s budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027.
At the end of the meeting, several council members spoke in support of the budget.
Councilman Kurmmell Knox thanked both Walters and administrative services specialist Jim Gammicchia for presenting additional information about the city’s budget, saying he’s glad to know that they’re still serving the community by investing in nonprofits.
“Kudos to them,” he said.
Councilman Jim Hoover also thanked Walters for his work on the budget.
“We know that’s keeping us above water,” he said.