Lawrence city commissioners on Tuesday heard from dozens of community members about the 2026 budget, which will raise property taxes.
Commissioners started their budget discussions much earlier than usual this year. Tuesday’s conversation in many ways was reminiscent of discussions the commission has had over the past several months, but now final approval of the budget is slated for the commission meeting in two weeks.
At the end of the commission’s discussion, Alley Porter, budget and strategic initiatives manager with the city, went over a bullet list of expenses commissioners asked to add into the draft budget using some wiggle room they gave themselves when they set the maximum property tax rate:
• Two police officers;
• One firefighter;
• $50,000 to offset lower Parks and Recreation fees;
• $175,000 to support a permanent site for the Lawrence Farmers Market;
• $20,000 to $25,000 in small business support; and
• $20,000 to neighborhood associations.
Well more than a dozen community members came to the meeting to oppose fees the city is planning to charge residents to use Sports Pavilion Lawrence and the Holcom Park and East Lawrence recreation centers starting in January.
City staff members proposed lower fees than the ones initially proposed — $25 per month for an adult, $40 for a household of up to five, or $15 for seniors or youths. which they say will also lower the anticipated revenues by $50,000. (Read more background on the proposal in the articles at this link.)
The department no longer plans to charge youth admission fees, and “qualified” residents will receive free admission after providing proof of low income. People who live outside of city limits would pay higher rates. Facilities would also charge tournament spectators admission fees of $5 per day.
Carol Kummer, who launched a petition against the fees that has garnered nearly 2,000 signatures and detailed her concerns about the fees in a letter to the Times, spoke to the commission. She and others also spoke about the burdens of proving income.
“For decades, the community has invested in recreation centers with the understanding that they are shared public resources accessible to all, regardless of income,” Kummer said. “Implementing fees would be a step backwards for Lawrence.”
Commissioners did not indicate that they will halt the plans to implement fees. Instead, Vice Mayor Brad Finkeldei suggested using $50,000 of city funds to make up for lower rec center fee revenues.
Commissioner Bart Littlejohn also asked whether the Parks and Recreation department would still consider seeking sponsors and selling naming rights to generate revenue.
Outgoing department director Luis Ruiz told the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board in July that it would require a full-time staff member or a consultant to pursue those things.
But “Everything that’s been spoken today, it’s in our strategic plan, our master plan. So we would pursue those things,” Ruiz said Tuesday, also referencing creation of a “friends” organization similar to Lawrence Public Library Friends and Foundation to start helping with fundraising.
Finkeldei had said he would be in favor of adding two police officers and a firefighter.
Commissioner Amber Sellers said she would like to see more support for small businesses, especially around the World Cup. Littlejohn agreed, especially as businesses can generate revenue for the city, he said.
Commissioner Lisa Larsen said she would be interested in adding back in some funding for neighborhood associations that was cut in the proposed budget.
But “I would like to see some other ways we can potentially cut versus just adding on the mill levy,” she said.
Mayor Mike Dever said the city in the past focused on some growth and neglected older infrastructure. He said he knew people were concerned about how much the city is “spending and bonding and focusing on the future. But these are the steps that leadership must take and the difficult decisions you make to secure the future of the community 10 or 20 years down the road.”
Commissioners are set to consider approving the 2026 budget during their Tuesday, Sept. 16 meeting.
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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.
Lawrence city budget coverage
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