How Warner Robins plans to benefit from increased FY 2026 city budget

WARNER ROBINS, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – The city of Warner Robins will look to operate on a $179,863,519 budget for Fiscal Year 2026, a 12.6% increase from FY 2025.

“It’s going to be a really good end to this calendar year and going into the next calendar year,” said Mayor LaRhonda Patrick.

The

budget proposal

includes a 9.6% increase in money allocated to public safety, including training and staff wages for the city’s fire and police departments. Patrick says an increase in law enforcement over the past few years is a major reason for the 7% decrease in serious crimes city data shows for 2024.

“We’ve put all of this effort into recruiting,” Patrick said. “We were able to get salaries increased, which made us a better fit for some people in their careers. And now we have a police department that is pretty well staffed.”

The budget also proposes a 4.5% increase in public works and a 3% increase in recreation.

Warner Robins has innovated in recent years to get results. James Drinkard, the city’s first full-time city administrator, says the finance department is undergoing restructuring, and will work closely with the new grants administrator to get more funding for city projects.

“The city of Warner Robins is leaving too much on the table right now, and it’s because we haven’t had a strategic and intense grant management program here,” Drinkard said. “Well, we’re about to.”

Drinkard says FY 2026 will mark the first time the city reassesses its budget at the 6-month mark to identify unused funds. From there, the city council will look to reallocate those funds for other purposes.

Patrick says this process will be important, as Warner Robins could see less money in property tax revenue due to opting into House Bill 581, which places a cap on increases based on CPI.  Patrick says capping property tax increases was necessary as inflation and financial uncertainty still weigh heavily on the community.

“A lot of people, you know, they have uncertainty about their income, their careers for some, and they’re making tough choices,” Patrick said. “With that added piece to the puzzle, having that mid-year is even more beneficial.”

The city says it plans to adopt its FY 2026 budget at the city council meeting on June 30. The second and final public hearing on the budget is scheduled for noon that same day inside City Hall, located at 700 Watson Boulevard.