On June 18, 2025, the Rochester City Council approved Mayor Malik Evans’ $680 million budget for the 2025–26 fiscal year in a 6–3 vote. Council President Miguel Meléndez, Vice President LaShay Harris, and Councilmembers Mitch Gruber, Willie Lightfoot, Stanley Martin Monroe, and Michael Patterson supported the budget.
Key highlights of the budget:
Total Budget: $680,455,000 — about $27 million less than last year.
Top Spending Areas: Undistributed funds, the Rochester Police Department, and the Department of Environmental Services.
ARPA Funding Transition: Despite the end of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding, the budget maintains all key services and avoids layoffs.
Additional Funding Approvals via Resolutions:
$1 million for affordable housing, neighborhood safety, family services, and youth development.
$250,000 for housing and emergency assistance for LGBTQIA+, immigrant, and refugee communities.
$220,000 for urgent home repairs and senior support programs.
$80,000 for the Thomas P. Ryan R-Center playground.
$63,000 for youth summer literacy jobs.
$45,000 for the City’s Culture and Heritage Committees, including an LGBTQIA+ committee.
City officials emphasized the budget’s focus on equity, community investment, and preserving essential services.
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