BRANSON — Branson Finance Director Allison Ramsey presented the city’s submitted 2026 budget to the Board of Aldermen during its meeting Tuesday night, marking the board’s first reading of the ordinance.

The budget projects a 2% increase in sales tax revenue for 2026, matching the projection used in the 2025 budget. Ramsey said the 2% figure was chosen to remain conservative, noting that the city’s sales tax revenue has recently fluctuated between 3 and 4% over the previous year’s budget.

Tourism tax revenue is projected to rise by 4%, also consistent with the 2025 budget. Ramsey explained that tourism-related revenue had fluctuated to about 12% over 2024 levels, prompting the decision to maintain a modest 4% growth estimate for 2026.

Among departmental budgets, the proposed 2026 Mayor and Board of Aldermen budget is $126,530 — a 12% decrease from last year. Ramsey said the reduction was made to avoid overbudgeting funds that were not being fully used.

The City Administration budget is set at $988,552, a 5 percent increase over the prior year, attributed largely to contractual services. The City Clerk’s budget totals $711,517, representing a 9.5%, partly due to the addition of a new passport processing center.  

The Finance Department saw a 6.2% decrease, with a proposed budget of $1,454,189.

Two of the city’s largest departments saw notable increases. The Fire Department’s proposed $9,331,476 budget reflects a 22 percent jump, which Ramsey said is tied to funding for the city’s fire training facility. The Police Department budget is set at $11,148,468, a 19% increase primarily attributed to personnel services.

Aldermen voted unanimously to approve the ordinance on its first reading. The final reading of the 2026 budget is scheduled for Nov. 25.

The full presentation is online.

Transparency note: This article was produced with the assistance of artificial intelligence and finalized by a journalist for accuracy, clarity and style.