Bloomington's 2027-28 budget is now fully on the table. The external services departments are the ones residents call, see and use: police, fire, parks and the rest. On October 19 they asked the City Council for $116.3 million in 2027 spending. That's $7.9 million, or 7.26%, more than this year. These departments make up about 90% of the general fund, so this is where most of the money is.
City of Bloomington@CityofBloomingtonMNThe deputy city manager lays out the totals for the departments that make up about 90% of the general fund.10/19
Fire has the biggest new request. The department wants 9 more full-time positions in 2027 to keep up with rising call volume. Those include 3 battalion chiefs and 3 captains, at about $1.1 million in new spending. Another 10 part-time firefighters would follow in 2028. The city plans to draw on the fire pension fund to soften the hit to the levy.
City of Bloomington@CityofBloomingtonMNFire leaders explain the staffing request and how the pension fund would cover part of the cost after the federal grant.10/19
The police chief presented a 3.92% net increase, mostly for a $500,000 contract the council had discussed at a recent meeting. There's also a new revenue idea. Visiting dignitaries who use the department's executive protection unit will now get a bill.
City of Bloomington@CityofBloomingtonMNThe chief walks through the police increase and the plan to start billing for dignitary protection details.10/19
The parks budget shows an 8.7% net increase. Most of that comes from moving forestry spending into the general fund, not from new programs. The Bloomington Ice Garden would no longer receive a tax subsidy. Staff said the new Community Health and Wellness Center is set to open next fall.
City of Bloomington@CityofBloomingtonMNParks staff explain where the 8.7% increase comes from and why the Ice Garden comes off the tax subsidy.10/19
One week earlier, on October 12, the internal departments went the other direction. These are administration, the city clerk, communications, finance, legal and IT. Together they proposed a net cut of about $197,000 for 2027. The change voters are most likely to notice is in the clerk's budget: Bloomington's election precincts would be merged from 30 down to 20. The savings don't carry straight into 2028, though. Staff said costs that year rise mainly because the 2028 election needs more election judges.
City of Bloomington@CityofBloomingtonMNStaff explain that extra election judges for the 2028 election drive the internal departments' costs that year.10/12
All of this happens within a ceiling the council has already set. On September 14 it approved a preliminary 2027 levy that is 6.64% higher than 2026's. That's the most the city can collect in property taxes next year. The final levy can come in lower but not higher. The city says 82% of the proposed increase goes to 5 core services: police, fire, public works, parks and recreation, and community development. Police and fire alone account for 48%.
Here's the calendar from this point. The council holds a budget study session November 16 at 6:30 p.m. at Civic Plaza, with time set aside for public comment. The truth-in-taxation public hearing is December 7, and the council is scheduled to approve the final levy and budget December 14.
You can comment online through the city's 2027-2028 budget page on Let's Talk Bloomington, or in person at the study session. The city collects online comments into reports for the council. A second preliminary report goes out with the November 16 meeting materials, and the final report goes out with the December 7 materials. If you care about the firefighter hires, the Ice Garden change or where you'll vote, now's the time to say so.
From the meetings: City Council Study Meeting, October 19, 2026 and City Council Meeting, October 12, 2026.
