Carmel City Council approves $252.4M 2027 budget prioritizing public safety, affordability

The Carmel City Council approved the proposed 2027 budget at its Oct. 19, 2026 meeting, adopting a $252.4 million total budget with a $152.6 million General Fund. Councilor Rich Taylor said the tax rate is being kept flat despite increased deductions and praised the council, the CFO and administration for the plan (City of Carmel news release).

The city release says public safety is the top priority, with continued funding for first responders, competitive compensation and modern equipment for the Carmel Police and Fire departments. It also lists infrastructure and operations priorities — core road and pathway maintenance, stormwater improvements and neighborhood preservation — plus operational-efficiency steps such as zero-based budgeting and digital modernization. Department directors provided recorded videos and supporting slides; the city posted detailed documents online (City of Carmel news release).

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