Lincoln Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird unveiled her proposed city budget for fiscal years 2026 through 2028 on Monday, emphasizing continued investment in public safety, infrastructure, and quality-of-life services while keeping the city’s property tax rate unchanged.
The proposed tax-funded budget totals nearly $316.6 million dollars in the first year and $334.6 million dollars in the second year. The property tax rate would remain at just under 30 cents per 100 dollars of valuation.
“Lincoln residents count on excellent City services that make life better today and position our community for an even more prosperous future,” Gaylor Baird says. “My proposed budget continues public investment in the people, infrastructure, and community assets that support safe neighborhoods, economic opportunity, and a high quality of life for all in Lincoln.”
Key priorities include expanding public safety staffing, improving roads and sidewalks, supporting affordable housing and public transit, and advancing major community projects. Among the public safety investments are continued local funding for firefighters and police officers previously supported by federal grants, the addition of a ninth ambulance medic unit, and funding for additional firefighter-paramedic and police officer positions.
The budget also includes funding for major projects such as the new Central Library, Project O Street, Canopy Yard, a multi-modal transportation center, and improvements to the airport entryway corridor.
Gaylor Baird says stronger-than-expected revenues from previous years have created one-time opportunities to support those signature projects, despite relatively flat local sales tax growth this year.
The proposed budget now heads to the Lincoln City Council for review and public hearings before final approval. For more details click here.