Richland Weighs $352 Million 2027 Budget
The City Council reviews a proposed budget and an 8% increase in the regular property tax levy.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Inflation
Live Poll
Do you support the city's proposed 8% increase in property taxes?
Richland City Council is reviewing a proposed 2027 city budget totaling $351,981,310, which includes a $87.5 million general fund and a 2027-2032 Capital Improvement Plan. The council is also considering an 8% increase in the regular property tax levy.
Why it matters
The added levy revenue is tied to rising medical claims costs, debt service for a new police station, technology and cybersecurity costs, labor costs, and inflation-driven expenses. The proposal would affect how much residents pay in property taxes and how the city funds ongoing operations.
The proposed general fund stands at $87.5 million, and the 42 capital projects total $57.3 million, with the levy rate projected to fall from $1.8655 to $1.8362 per $1,000 assessed value. Final figures remain subject to council action on November 17.
The players
Richland City Council
The elected body of Richland, Washington, which reviews and votes on the city's annual budget and property tax levies.
The details
The proposed budget includes $3 million in 2027 for design and planning of a future police station, and annual debt service for the station is estimated at about $2.0 million. City medical claims costs have risen by $2.5 million annually, and the budget also reflects sales tax changes from a Costco budgeted in 2026 and CarMax added for 2027.
Timeline
2026: Library debt levy expires after this year, lowering the overall levy rate.
November 4, 2026: Finance director presents budget details at a budget hearing.
November 17, 2026: Council scheduled to hold the public hearing and take final action on the 2027 budget.
Economic Pressure
The proposal's added levy revenue responds to rising medical claims and labor costs that Richland's budget documents attribute to inflation-driven expenses. The 8% levy increase is set against a levy rate that would otherwise drop with the library debt levy expiring after 2026.
Residents would see property tax bills shift with an 8% regular levy increase, even as the overall levy rate falls because of the library debt levy expiring. Utility rates may also rise by about 4%, with BPA wholesale power costs expected to increase 6.5%.
The takeaway
Richland residents can track the November 17 public hearing to see how the final levy and budget decisions affect their property tax and utility bills.
What happens next
The proposed 2027 budget and capital plan return for a public hearing and final action on November 17, 2026.
Further reading
Explore more local cost pressures in Richland Inflation coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by NonStop Local Tri-Cities/Yakima.
Live Poll
Do you support the city's proposed 8% increase in property taxes?
