Homelessness solutions, parks and recreation, and economic development initiatives are among the areas that could see the biggest cuts toward patching a $6.6 million deficit in the City of Lawrence’s 2026 budget.
The Lawrence City Commission will hear an update on development of the 2026 budget during their Tuesday meeting. The city has started working on its budget and seeking commission input earlier than usual this year, with the first presentation and discussion held in January.
A brief summary in the agenda of how the city got to this point — and this projected deficit — lists property tax distribution; market-based pay for employees; increased investment in infrastructure; and creating the homeless solutions division with ARPA, or federal COVID-19 relief funds, with no additional revenue available once those funds went away.
The city is also looking to rebuild its fund balance, tentatively by $2 million in this budget cycle.
Several departments outlined potential cuts they could make in a presentation in the commission agenda.
Lawrence voters in November approved a sales tax increase to support affordable housing and homelessness solutions. In projections last year, the city manager’s office said the homeless solutions division’s budget for 2025 with the approved sales tax increase would be $4.72 million, down from $5.26 million.
A tentative cut to the homeless solutions division’s budget would include cutting one full-time position, reducing funds for campsite cleanups and an already planned 10% reduction in the amount of money the city is paying the Lawrence Community Shelter.
Among other potential cuts are one planning department position and a recently added code compliance position. The city attorney’s office would aim to increase cost recovery. Economic development could see up to 13% of its budget cut from a reduction in contracts for services, according to the agenda.
Parks, Recreation and Culture would add access fees at rec centers to support operations, eliminate 20 part-time positions and reduce hours and programming options at Sports Pavilion Lawrence.
Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical is proposing to cut some staff members if the department cannot increase its funding from Douglas County to 42% of its costs from 36%.
20250401-City-Comm-budget-update-prelim-proposals-2The agenda also included feedback from the city’s Balancing Act program, which allows community members to weigh in on how they think the city should be spending money by increasing, decreasing or maintaining services levels in various departments.
City staff members included the answers of the five commissioners as well as 637 responses from the public.
The recommendations for biggest cuts, from commissioners and from the public, include golf course maintenance, recreation, health and wellness programming, levee maintenance and police department information services.
Commissioners wanted to cut less from the homeless solutions division than community respondents.
They wanted to cut more from transportation planning and recreation facility management than community respondents, according to city staff’s analysis.
20250401-Balancing-Act-results-rSee the full budget presentation at this link; see the full meeting agenda at this link.
Commissioners will begin their regular meeting at 5:45 p.m. Tuesday at Lawrence City Hall, 6 E. Sixth St.
The commission accepts written public comment emailed to ccagendas@lawrenceks.org until noon the day of meetings. The commission also hears live public comment during meetings, both in person and virtually. Register to join the Zoom meeting at this link.
Meetings are open to the public, livestreamed on the city’s YouTube channel at youtube.com/@lawrenceksvideo and broadcast on Midco channel 25.
Update:
• Lawrence city commissioners generally agree with staff plans for budget cuts, April 1, 2025
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Mackenzie Clark (she/her), reporter/founder of The Lawrence Times, can be reached at mclark@lawrencekstimes.com. Read more of her work for the Times here. Check out her staff bio here.
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