Overview
Newton's adopted 2026 budget is $62.7 million (the city's own rounded figure) at a flat property tax rate. The General Fund budget spends $27,348,365 against $26,347,370 of revenue — a planned $1,000,995 draw on reserves, taking budgeted ending cash from $8,381,357 to $7,380,362. The city projects a General Fund balance of 14.7% for 2026 against its 15% target, and notes the budget exceeds the revenue neutral rate by 3.403 mills because assessed valuation rose an estimated 4.95%. Unlike past years, the 2026 budget makes no transfer from the utility funds to the General Fund for property tax relief (about $1.14 million a year in the past).
At a glance — adopted budget 2026
Source: City of Newton budget page.
Source: City of Newton midyear financial review, June 2026, General Fund summary.
General Fund — adopted budget 2026
Revenue build: taxes $19,616,942 + intergovernmental $54,000 + licenses & permits $335,440 + charges for services $2,416,500 + fines, forfeits & penalties $350,000 + use of money $1,000,000 + other revenue $590,000 + transfers in $1,984,488 = $26,347,370. Walk: beginning cash $8,381,357 − net $1,000,995 = budgeted ending cash $7,380,362. Department budgets below are as printed; their sum is $27,348,364, $1 below the printed $27,348,365 total — a $1 rounding difference in the source, disclosed here rather than adjusted.
| Department | 2026 budget |
|---|---|
| Fire / EMS | $8,459,626 |
| Police | $6,716,829 |
| Engineering | $794,073 |
| IT | $1,080,754 |
| Street | $2,931,878 |
| Park | $1,778,853 |
| Cemetery | $438,932 |
| Admin | $3,602,409 |
| Law | $801,714 |
| Building maintenance | $540,349 |
| Finance | $202,947 |
| Total General Fund expenditures, 2026 budget (as printed) | $27,348,365 |
For comparison, 2025 General Fund actuals from the same review: revenue $27,164,588, expenditures $26,194,945 (department figures sum to $26,194,946, again a $1 source rounding difference), net +$969,643, beginning cash $7,411,714, ending cash $8,381,357. At June 30, 2026, year-to-date General Fund revenue was $18,149,936 (68.89% of budget) and expenditures $12,671,794 (46.33%).
Source: City of Newton midyear financial review, June 2026, General Fund summary by department.
Partners & policy
External partners funded in the adopted 2026 budget: Newton Area Chamber of Commerce $30,000; Harvey County Economic Development $142,275; Health Ministries Clinic $40,000; Newton Area Senior Center $20,000 — $232,275 in total. The budget also increases wages and benefits (a compensation study recommended paying staff at 60% of market value, just above the median) and increases equipment reserves and building maintenance funds for anticipated replacement needs. No transfer from the Wastewater Fund to the General Fund for property tax relief is included; the city notes about $1.14 million a year was transferred in the past, but those transfers were not necessary in the past couple of years.
Sources & notes
- Sources used: City of Newton budget page (adopted 2026 budget: $62.7 million, flat tax rate, partner funding, no utility transfer). City budget page. General Fund budget detail from the City's midyear financial review for the period ended June 30, 2026 (2026 budget columns and 2025 actuals). Midyear financial review (city CivicWeb document).
- Sum checks: General Fund revenue build sums to $26,347,370; walk ($8,381,357 − $1,000,995 = $7,380,362); 2025 actuals walk ($7,411,714 + $969,643 = $8,381,357); partner funding sums to $232,275.
- $1 rounding notes: the midyear review's General Fund department figures sum to $27,348,364 for the 2026 budget against a printed total of $27,348,365, and to $26,194,946 for 2025 actuals against a printed $26,194,945. Both printed totals are used on this page; the $1 gaps are in the source, not adjusted here.
- Scope note: the $62.7 million total is the city's own rounded figure from its budget page; this page does not present a summed all-funds total, because the retrieved city documents give the General Fund in full but not a fund-by-fund all-funds table. The same city page notes the Commission later adopted a $66.8 million 2027 budget; this page reports the 2026 adopted budget only.
- Jurisdiction palette: no verified City of Newton palette was on file, so this page uses the neutral Hometown Numbers dark-glass theme rather than a city color.