Fiscal Year 2024 Budget

Thank you for your interest in the City's budget for the 2024 fiscal year, which begins July 1, 2023, and ends on June 30, 2024. The City’s operating budget (day-to-day costs of providing city services) is approximately $172 million and the capital budget, which includes major projects and improvements, is approximately $86 million.

Learn about the City budget process.

The City Council will hold a series of public meetings in February and March 2023 as part of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 recommended budget review process. Residents and stakeholders are encouraged to participate.

At their regular meeting on Monday, Feb. 6, 2023, the City Council set the public hearing on the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Maximum Property Tax Dollars for Feb. 20, 2023. The recommendation from staff also included the recommendation FY2024 property tax rate and and the FY2024 Budget & Fiscal Policy Guidelines. For details, review the related agenda documents and/or watch a video the Feb. 6 City Council meeting:

Public Hearing on the Maximum Property Tax Dollars

At their regular meeting on Monday, Feb. 20, the City Council conducted a public hearing and set the maximum property tax levy amount at $26,546,601 and the maximum tax rate at $9.89500 per $1,000 of assessed value.

Recommended Capital Improvement Program (CIP)

As the plan for the City’s physical development effort, the CIP attempts to address a variety of needs that the City must meet if it is to maintain its physical facilities, meet its service commitments, and provide for its future development. The CIP recommendation reflects the City’s comprehensive plan and the goals and priorities established by the City Council.

Recommended Policy Budget

The Policy Budget defines goals and objectives for all City departments and activities, relates them to cost and resource requirements, and attempts to establish measures for evaluating accomplishment. Specific improvement packages are developed and included in the Policy Budget for alternative funding and service levels. The Policy Budget document shows the budget by line item for each Department and provides a basis for fiscal control once the budget is adopted.

The Policy Budget emphasizes objectives, accomplishments, and alternative funding and service levels and is intended to keep the attention of the City Council and public on the major policy decisions involving what services the City government will provide, who will pay for them, and the implications of such decisions.

Budget Hearing Meetings

The Dubuque City Council will hold a series of public meetings to review City department/division budget details as part of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 recommended budget review process. The meetings will be held at 6:30 p.m. on:

Tuesday, February 21 | Recommended Policy Budget Vol. 1
Monday, February 27 | Recommended Policy Budget Vol. 2
Tuesday, March 7 | Recommended Policy Budget Vol. 3
Wednesday, March 8 | Recommended Policy Budget Vol. 4
Thursday, March 9 | Recommended Policy Budget Vol. 5
Tuesday, March 21 | Recommended Policy Budget Vol. 6
- Information Services
- Water Department
- Water & Resource Recovery Center
- Public Works
Wednesday, March 22 | Recommended Policy Budget Vol. 7
- Five Flags Civic Center
- Grand River Center
- Dubuque Ice Arena
- Transportation Services
- Engineering Department
Thursday, March 23
Final hearing to adopt the FY 2024 budget.

The public is invited to attend the public hearings and meetings. All will be held in the City Council Chambers on the second floor of the Historic Federal Building at 350 W. Sixth St. and aired live on CityChannel Dubuque (Mediacom cable channels 8 and 117.2), streamed live and archived on the City’s website, and streamed live on the City’s Facebook page. The public can provide input in person or virtually. Instructions can be found within the meeting agenda.

Online Input Opportunities

Balancing Act Budget Simulator

The Balancing Act simulation tool provides an in-depth look at the City budget. You can adjust revenues and expenditures, and then provide comments on how YOU think the City of Dubuque should spend its money. Budgets are submitted anonymously and demographic exit questions are optional.

Taxpayer Receipt

Where do your City tax dollars go? The online taxpayer receipt is designed to illustrate how your estimated City property taxes and local option sales tax are allocated to services such as Police, Fire, Parks, and Public Works. All information provided is anonymous.

City Budget Public Comments Form

We want your input! Use the City's Budget Public Comments form to share your ideas directly with City staff. These ideas could be capital improvements, such as park improvements, street improvements, or new amenities. They could also be service-related, such as specific programming, recreation classes, or a change in how a service is provided. Submitted input will assist in the development of a recommended budget.

Submit your ideas for the City's budget

Written comments can also be mailed to: City Manager, City Hall, 50 West 13th Street, Dubuque, IA, 52001. Need help using the online budget tools? Review our budget simulation and taxpayer receipt tips sheet.

Public Input Meeting

Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022, at 6 p.m.

A public input meeting was held at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022, in the City Council Chambers at the Historic Federal Building, 350 W. Sixth St. City Manager Mike Van Milligen and Finance and Budget Department staff provided general information on the Fiscal Year 2024 budget process and then meeting attendees were asked to share their thoughts on what they would like to see funded in their neighborhoods and the community-at-large.

Dollars & Cents

The Fiscal Year 2023 Dollars & Cents document provides an overview of property taxes, budget, utility rates, and the debt reduction plan. The Dollars & Cents short video series (from FY 2022) explains property taxes, budget, debt reduction plan, and the City's recently upgraded credit rating.