CANTON – The city is set to vote on a $409 million budget for 2026, the largest on record.
Finance Director Mark Crouse recently presented the budget to City Council, which will vote on the final budget on March 30.
In December, Canton approved temporary appropriations for 2026.
The city has operated under the temporary budget since the beginning of the year. In the meantime, officials reviewed anticipated revenues, expenses and made changes to establish a final budget, which must be adopted by the end of March per state law.
Here’s what to know about this year’s proposed final budget:
Canton city budget higher than past years
The budget is the largest total proposed budget during his 10 years working for the city, Crouse said.
The proposal is about 17% higher than the 2025 budget of $343 million. Last year’s general operating fund was $76.6 million. This year’s is $79.9 million.
City records show the total budget five years ago in 2021 was $257 million. The general fund for that year was $64 million.
In 2016, the total budget was $270 million. The general fund was $51 million at that time.
Archived budgets, dating back to 2008, can be viewed on the city’s website.
Most of the general fund goes to police and fire
The city’s general operating fund supports major city functions, such as insurance and information technology contracts. Most of the general funds are set aside for personnel, with a majority going to police and fire.
The proposed 2026 budget allocates $24 million to the police department and $22 million to fire operations.
The 2026 budget allocates $1.3 million more to police than last year and $1.4 million to fire than last year.
Crouse said the city does not always spend the amount budgeted for a specific department. On average in the last four years, about 97% of budgeted payroll is spent. For all other general fund expenses, about 72% of the budgeted amount is spent.
Net cash carryover from 2025 to 2026 was about $12.6 million, according to communications to council.
Council will vote on $22.4 million in capital projects
Council is scheduled to vote on capital projects, including comprehensive plan, storm drainage projects and vehicle purchases on March 30.
Capital projects are funded through multiple sources, including grants and the general fund. The proposed capital budget includes a range of expenses from equipment purchases to infrastructure upgrades.
Projects include 2026 paving projects ($4 million), the first phase of the West Tuscarawas Street Safety Project ($15.3 million) and other maintenance and building upkeep projects.
Major sanitary sewer projects planned, cause budget spikes
A need for major sanitary sewer upgrades and maintenance caused many of the large budget increases.
“The main difference from this budget, not to get everybody all worked up about it, is for WRF projects that we have going on there,” Crouse said, referencing planned projects for the city’s water reclamation facility.
City officials have said these large projects are not optional, a mandatory measure to comply with state law.
At a March 9 council meeting, members approved an estimated $67 million in sanitary sewer capital projects. The largest projects included a $29 million membrane replacement at the water reclamation facility, $25 million in electrical system upgrades and $8 million in raw pump improvements.
Most of those expenses will be paid for with state loans, which council will vote on separately and if approved, pay back over an estimated 20 years.
During the March 23 meeting, Councilman Frank Morris asked why utility rates continue to rise for residents.
“We continually and annually increase water and sewer rates at an alarming rate,” Morris said.
Service Director John Highman said the city increases rates now to prepare for the future. Gradual increases, rather than sudden spikes, better positions the city to handle debt obligations, such as those related to major sanitary sewer projects planned for 2026.
In February, the city announced a 15% increase to sewer rates, a 15% increase to water rates and a 2.7% increase in sanitation rates.
“If we don’t start to deal with that now, you’re going to be looking at 20, 30% sewer increases at one time,” Highman said. “The idea being to start putting away money now so that we don’t have these huge increases when the loan payments from these big projects become due.”
Contact Abreanna Blose by email at ablose@usatodayco.com or by phone at 330-580-8513.
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Canton council to vote on record $409 million budget for 2026
Reporting by Abreanna Blose, Canton Repository / The Repository
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