Photo by Craig Howell Weirton Council, during its meeting Monday, approved the city’s 2026-27 fiscal budgets. Pictured, from left, are Councilmembers Tim Connell, Ralph Cunningham, and Jesse Keeder. (Photo by Stephanie Elverd)

WEIRTON – The city’s general fund and coal severance budgets for the 2026-2027 fiscal year have been set.

Weirton Council, through a roll call, voted unanimously on the budgets, which will go into effect July 1.

The city is set to have a balanced $29,619,732 general fund budget, with an additional $74,875 available through coal severance funds.

Weirton’s planned general fund begins with an anticipated fund balance of $6,250,000 from the current fiscal year.

It accounts for an anticipated $15,870,482 in taxes, $113,500 from fines and forfeitures, $343,500 from licenses and permits, $5,333,750 for charges for services, $1,123,500 from intergovernmental revenue and $585,000 from miscellaneous revenue sources.

These are broken down through $2,834,982 in property taxes, $145,000 in prior year taxes, $105,000 in supplemental taxes, $12,500 from tax loss restoration, $22,000 from tax penalties, interest and publication fees, $200,000 from gas and oil severance taxes, $1,100,000 from excise tax on utilities, $6,500,000 from the city’s Business and Occupation Tax, $225,000 from the wine and liquor tax, $600,000 from the Hotel Occupancy Tax, $1,000 from Insurance Premium Surtax and $4,125,000 from the city’s 1% sales tax.

There is an anticipated $112,500 from fines, fees and court costs, $1,000 from Regional Jail Operations Partial Reimbursements, $65,500 from licenses, $275,000 from building permit fees, $3,000 from inspections fees, $95,000 from Interstate Registration Plan fees, $32,500 from a private liquor club fee, $955,000 from the city’s Municipal Service Fee, $1,756,250 from Refuse Collection fees, $1,127,500 from Police Protection Fees and another $1,127,500 from Fire Protection Fees, with $240,000 for charges for services.

The city anticipates receiving $558,000 from federal grants and $122,000 from state grants, along with $128,500 from contributions from other entities and $90,000 through charges to other funds.

There is $225,000 anticipated from gaming income, $85,000 through interest from investments, $475,000 from video lottery revenue and $25,000 from other miscellaneous revenues.

The city has budgeted expenditures to include $42,500 for economic development, $24,365 to the Mayor’s Office, $136,090 for City Council, $712,265 to the City Manager’s Office, $807,995 for the Finance Office, $164,305 for the Police Judge’s Office and $114,690 for the City Attorney’s Office.

There is $758,675 set for Community Development (Housing), $202,000 for contributions to commissions and authorities and $6,800 for the Regional Development Authority.

For various municipal services, the city plans to expend $1,519,200 for Building Inspections, $187,840 for data processing, $851,000 for City Hall needs, $402,000 for Electrical Services, $568,664 to the Public Works Department, $6,713,320 for the Weirton Police Department and $4,719,825 for the Weirton Fire Department, with $76,311 for the Dog Warden, $261,676 for Central Dispatch, $3,661,680 for Streets and Highways maintenance, and $425,000 for Street Light maintenance.

There also will be expenses of $406,318 for the Central Garage, $821,330 for Public Transit, $2,325,333 for the Garbage Department, $90,250 for Storm Sewer maintenance, $1,500,000 for Parks and Recreation, $300,000 provided to the Visitors Bureau, $20,000 for Youth Programs, $535,000 for the Mary H. Weir Public Library, $15,000 for Beautification programs and $1,250,000 for Street and Transportation Capital Projects.

The revenue for the coal severance budget is comprised of a $14,500 fund balance derived from existing funding, along with an anticipated $60,000 in new funds and $375 from interest earned through investments.

Of those funds, the city has proposed expending $39,875 for parks and recreation, $20,000 for beautification programs and the remaining $15,000 for General Government Capital Projects.

The city must submit the budget to the state by the end of the month.

(Howell can be contacted at chowell@weirtondailytimes.com)