Overview
Syracuse spent more than it took in during 2025: the General Fund paid out $1,047,453 against $984,227 of receipts, a $63,226 deficit that drew ending unencumbered cash down to $645,715. The whole reporting entity took in $2,898,769 and spent $2,807,608, ending with $2,765,022 of unencumbered cash. The utility fund is the city's largest operation after the General Fund, and the Equipment Fund ended the year $149,459 stronger after $201,000 of transfers in against $51,541 of capital outlay.
Source: City of Syracuse 2025 audit, Statement 1 and Schedule 2-1.
At a glance — audited actuals, year ended December 31, 2025
General Fund — audited actuals 2025
Receipts build: ad valorem property tax $250,981 + delinquent tax $11,234 + motor vehicle tax $83,114 + franchise tax $128,202 + sales and compensating use tax $343,871 + alcohol tax $6,622 + state and federal aid $2,563 + charges for services $82,846 + licenses and permits $5,147 + fines $675 + interest $45,866 + miscellaneous $23,106 = $984,227. Beginning cash $708,941 − deficit $63,226 = ending unencumbered cash $645,715. The category build below sums exactly to $1,047,453.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| General government | $389,376 |
| Fire protection | $37,840 |
| Police protection | $155,963 |
| Highways and streets | $147,796 |
| Street lighting | $37,893 |
| Park department | $6,144 |
| Sanitation | $59 |
| Airport appropriation | $22,000 |
| Youth association | $5,000 |
| Sandhill ATV park | $85,382 |
| Transfers out | $160,000 |
| Total General Fund expenditures, actual | $1,047,453 |
Major funds — audited actuals 2025
Each row's walk (beginning + receipts − expenditures = ending) was verified against its fund schedule.
| Fund | Receipts | Expenditures | Ending cash |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employee Benefits | $135,083 | $144,142 | $89,001 |
| Parks and Recreation | $6,622 | $4,924 | $14,406 |
| Special Highway | $48,376 | $60,000 | $60,537 |
| Fire Fighting Equipment | $18,923 | $12,283 | $30,321 |
| Tourism | $43,622 | $6,100 | $153,457 |
| Opioid | $2,933 | $0 | $10,520 |
| Capital Improvements | $60,000 | $69,310 | $420,300 |
| Dedicated Sales Tax | $107,864 | $107,864 | $0 |
| Equipment | $201,000 | $51,541 | $367,859 |
| Health Savings | $140,092 | $110,623 | $29,469 |
| Water, Sewer and Refuse Utility | $990,027 | $1,039,154 | $380,247 |
| Utility Depreciation Reserve | $160,000 | $154,214 | $563,190 |
Entity walk: $2,673,861 + $2,898,769 − $2,807,608 = $2,765,022 unencumbered, plus $128 of accounts payable = $2,765,150 cash. Dedicated Sales Tax receipts of $107,864 were appropriated in full to Hamilton County. Operating transfers totaled $520,092: General to Capital Improvements $60,000 and to Equipment $100,000; Employee Benefits to Health Savings $70,046; Utility to Equipment $60,000, to Depreciation Reserve $160,000 and to Health Savings $70,046.
Source: City of Syracuse 2025 audit, Statement 1 and Schedules 2-2 to 2-13.
Debt & notes
The audit is presented on the Kansas regulatory basis, which does not recognize capital assets or long-term debt in the statement itself. Its debt note reports finance leases only: Sand Park Building (issued March 1, 2016, $69,300 at 3.765%, maturing March 1, 2026) ending at $7,584, and a street sweeper (issued December 9, 2024, $239,000 at 4.85%, maturing June 30, 2029) ending at $190,840 — total finance leases $198,424, with $6,319 of interest paid in 2025. Maturities: 2026 principal $51,950 + interest $9,680 = $61,630; total principal $198,424 + interest $24,343 = $222,767 through 2029. The city held a revenue neutral rate hearing for 2025 and made no budget amendments.
Sources & notes
- Only source used: City of Syracuse, Kansas, Financial Statement with Independent Auditor's Report, year ended December 31, 2025 (Kennedy McKee & Company, October 4, 2026; unmodified opinion on the Kansas regulatory basis, adverse opinion on U.S. GAAP). Read the audit (PDF).
- Sum checks: General Fund receipts build sums to $984,227; the expenditure categories sum to $1,047,453; cash walk ($708,941 − $63,226 = $645,715); entity walk ($2,673,861 + $2,898,769 − $2,807,608 = $2,765,022; + $128 = $2,765,150); Employee Benefits ($98,060 + $135,083 − $144,142 = $89,001); Equipment ($218,400 + $201,000 − $51,541 = $367,859); Utility ($429,374 + $990,027 − $1,039,154 = $380,247); transfers sum to $520,092; lease maturities sum to $222,767.
- Extraction note: Statement 1 spans two pages, and the text extraction scrambles its column order for the fund rows (they read expenditures-first). Every figure on this page follows the individual fund schedules, which walk exactly, not the scrambled Statement 1 row order.
- Jurisdiction palette: no verified City of Syracuse palette was on file, so this page uses the neutral Hometown Numbers dark-glass theme rather than a city color.