Moline Committee-of-the-Whole 2027-2029 Budget Work Session - October 22, 2026

The Moline Committee-of-the-Whole met on October 22, 2026, for a budget work session on the proposed 2027-2029 operating budgets and the 2027 property tax levy. Staff presented balanced budgets, council made multiple amendments, and the session ended with a general property tax levy of $17,681,639 for first reading. Note: The agenda packet is dated October 17, 2026, while the supplied meeting date is October 22, 2026.

Call to Order and Administrative Items

• The meeting opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and roll call. No remote electronic attendance was required, and no public comment or miscellaneous business was brought forward at the start.
• Staff stated the goal was to finalize all outstanding 2027 budget items by 1:00 PM.

2027-2029 Budget Overview

• The proposed 2027 budget is about $180 million, declining to $179 million in 2028 and $171 million in 2029 as central fire station construction and riverfront bond spending level off.
• Net of capital, transfers, and internal services, operating expenditures increase each year; the five-year average increase through 2029 is 3.74%.
• The budget is balanced across all 54 funds for all three years, and major funds remain within council fund-balance policy.

Property Tax, Pensions, and Levy Direction

• A minimum property tax need of $857,000 was identified in August, primarily for state-mandated police and fire pensions.
• The original 100% tax-funded option was a 4.94% property tax increase, about $44 per resident per year ($2.83 per month). A zero-increase alternative used $400,000 from Build Moline, $365,000 from cannabis, and $92,000 in general fund cuts.
• Council approved a motion directing general fund gap funding to parks and library rather than pension line items, so police and fire pensions would be fully funded through the property tax levy allocation.
• Council also approved, by a 6-1 vote, reallocating $150,000 from cannabis funds to parks and reducing the parks levy by $150,000. The revised resident impact was estimated at roughly $10/year in property taxes and about $50/year including utility fees.
• Council discussed $45,000 in the special events fund for Quad City Storm police overtime, noting concerns about a commitment made by a former administrator and requesting a future policy on such requests.
• SSA No. 5 and SSA No. 6 levies were kept at $132,475 and $269,255, unchanged from the current year.

Payments to Agencies and Social Services

• Council approved reallocating $10,000 from the Moline Commission on Youth to Ballet Quad Cities, whose $30,000 request was discussed but not fully funded. Staff noted the ballet's fundraising is still in progress and the request came through economic-development and downtown activation benefits.
• Council approved a motion to reduce the Third Place allocation from $20,000 to $10,000 and fund it from cannabis instead of the general fund payments-to-agencies line. The amended motion passed 5-2.
• Council approved reallocating all unallocated 2026 council and city administrator contingency funds, about $200,000, to a new program modeled on Level B of the Level Up program.
• MCDC and Renew Moline funding was left at staff recommendation, with council interest in further policy discussion in the coming year.

Cannabis Fund and Special Funds

• The cannabis fund was amended: $215,000 to special CIP, $100,000 for the emergency winter shelter, $150,000 to parks, $10,000 to Third Place, and the remaining $205,000 moved to special CIP by motion. The fund was then approved as amended.
• The national opioid settlement fund was approved as presented; funds are expected to continue through 2037.
• The special events fund was approved in two votes: one excluding Pride Week at Bass Street, and one approving $5,000 for it. The Pride Week vote was 6-0 because one council member recused.
• The rental housing fund was approved as presented, with possible fee increases by 2030 because expenditures are outpacing revenues.
• The public art fund was approved; it includes a $75,000 annual general fund transfer, $586,000 in art-project expenditures for 2026-2029, and an estimated $60,000 ending balance in 2029.

Capital Funds, CIP, and General Fund

• The special capital projects fund was approved with $113 million of expenditures over 10 years, including $27 million in planned 2027 bonding for the central fire station and $10 million for riverfront work. The $215,000 cannabis transfer was allocated to line 19 for special city improvements.
• The capital improvements program and motor fuel tax fund were approved. MFT revenues are increasing about 3% annually; home-rule sales tax is up 3-4%; gas/electric utility tax is flat. The 2027 budget includes $1.05 million toward parking-garage repairs identified in a study with roughly $5 million of deferred need.
• Parks and library funds were approved with lower property-tax allocations and increased general fund transfers. The library budget adds a new outreach manager position totaling $96,000 with benefits.
• New personnel requests were approved, including the library outreach manager and an additional custodian for the CSC building.
• General fund discussion noted public safety makes up 65% of the budget, the five-year average increase is 4.83%, and there is $79,000 in capital equipment. Council kept a one-time $35,000 item for a potential Germany trip and agreed to seek help from John Deere and employee cost-sharing.
• Council approved removing the city administrator and council contingency lines for all three years, then approved the general fund as amended.
• Internal service funds, enterprise funds, and the debt service fund were approved as presented or as previously adopted. The debt service fund abates taxes on seven outstanding bonds except the pension obligation bonds.

Key Outcomes

• The council set the 2027 estimated general property tax levy at $17,681,639, about a 1.4% increase, for first reading as stated at the October 20, 2026 Council meeting.
• SSA No. 5 levy set at $132,475; SSA No. 6 levy set at $269,255; debt-service property tax abatement approved, all for first reading.
• Final budget adoption and related resolutions were scheduled to return in November, including public hearings.
• At the end of the meeting, council voted by roll call to enter executive session for appointment, employment, and property matters.