City Council President Has Mixed Feelings About Tentative Jamestown Budget

Jamestown Mayor Kim Ecklund's proposed 2027 city budget is not "an ugly one," but it's not a good one, either. Those are the feelings of City Council President Regina Brackman following the Mayor's release of her tentative $47.3 million spending plan that increases the city's property tax rate by 7.26%. It raises the tax rate by $1.87 to $27.63 per thousand assessed value. Brackman says she is happy to see no layoffs in the budget...

Regina Brackman: happy with no staff reduction

Many were waiting to see what Ecklund proposed doing with the 12 firefighters hired in recent years through the American Rescue Plan and SAFER Grant funding. Both are running out at the end of this year or early in 2027. Ecklund is also proposing using $2.77 million in undesignated fund balance to hold down the tax increase. Brackman says that leaves the city's "rainy day" fund well below what's recommended...

Regina Brackman: hoping not to go deep

The city received $1.59 million in additional Temporary Municipal Aid from New York State. However, there is no additional state funding in the city budget. City lawmakers eventually used $2.8 million from the fund balance in the 2026 spending plan.