Bloomington’s 2026 city budget is adopted. City council passed the budget ordinance 7 to 2 Wednesday night.
The $65 million operating budget includes a more than $9 million deficit.
Mayor Kerry Thomson said in July her administration inherited a $16 million deficit and decreased that to $12 million this year.
Council members Matt Flaherty and Kate Rosenbarger voted no because of the lack of trust they have with the administration.
Rosenbarger gave an example of conflicting communication over Unified Development Ordinance Amendments.
“This is just one example of a place that like all honesty it just feels blown to pieces and I do follow councilmember Flaherty in that the lack of trust is so extreme to me,” Rosenbarger said.
Councilmember Isabel Piedmont-Smith said the council needs more time to talk about priorities before voting on a budget.
“It was just a little bit last minute this year that I understood the budget well enough that I feel like I can vote on it. So these are things we can approve upon next year,” she said.
The budget includes a 2.7 percent cost-of-living increase for non-union city workers.
