Jefferson City Council approves 2026 budget; police, fire see increases while capital projects decrease
Ryan Shiner
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The Jefferson City Council on Monday night approved its $86,836,166budget for the upcoming fiscal year.
Revenue for the city is expected to match expenditures.
The total budget decreased by nearly $10 million from the 2025 “actual” budget, though it’s a very similar number to the adopted 2025 budget, according to information from the city.
The city is seeing a roughly $6 million increase from the “actual 2025 budget,” a $700,000 increase in materials and supplies and a roughly $5.4 million decrease in contractual services.
The 2026 budget also does not have “Other Non-Operating Expenses” described, compared to 2025’s $833,196.
There was also a $1.3 million decrease in capital purchases, while capital projects is expected to have a more than $11 million decrease.
The city’s police department is seeing a roughly $800,000 increase ($9.7 million) from the 2025 budget ($8.9 million). Personnel services makes up the bulk of the increase, with 2026’s budget seeing $8.5 million compared to 2025’s actual budget of $7.5 million, though it’s similar to the adopted budget from 2025. More than half of that total comes from salaries.
The city is also spending roughly $100,000 more on a school resource officer in 2026 ($988,101 compared to 2025’s $885,864).
The fire department is also expected to get about $800,000 more in 2026 ($10.7 million) than it did in 2025 ($9.9 million), with a bulk of the increase also coming from salaries.
Courtesy of Jefferson City.