No New Taxes: Yakima’s Budget Plan Keeps Some Services Alive!

The city of Yakima's budget is balanced for 2026 after Tuesday's Yakima City Council meeting. The council on Tuesday made some big decisions to balance the 2026 budget which was short $9 million going into the new year.

THE TAX PACKAGE WAS TAKEN OFF THE TABLE AT LEAST FOR NOW

Deputy Yakima Mayor Matt Brown says all of the new tax proposals including a sales and use tax for law enforcement were tabled and a budget with cuts was passed. Brown says that's what voters said they wanted after the November general election. He says the city did use $1 million in funding from city reserves to save the city from some budget cuts allowing the city to explore more funding options in the future.

READ MORE: YAKIMA'S LIGHTED PARADE IS SUNDAY

THE HARMAN CENTER SURVIVES THE CUTS FOR ANOTHER YEAR

As a result Brown says the Harman Center survived by receiving funding for 2026 as the center works to create more private/public partnerships to fund programs that won't impact the city budget.

TWO OTHER IMPORTANT SERVICES IN THE COMMUNITY WERE SAVED

The Washington Fruit Community Center was also funded for next 6 months and Lions Pool also is funded through February of 2026.

CUTS ON THE WAY TO POLICE, PARKS AND FIRE

The biggest cuts? In the Yakima Police and Fire and Parks Departments where the city will see upwards of more than $6 million in cuts. The Yakima Police Department could cut 12 Officer positions as a result of the budget cuts.
City officials are asking the Yakima Fire Chief make $1.8 million in cuts without closing fire station 92 in the West Valley area.

IS THIS WHAT YOU VOTED FOR?

What will those deep cuts look like? How will Yakima Police, Fire and Parks Departments make the cuts and still be able to fully serve the community? City officials expect to hear from department heads in January on how they'll deal with the ordered cuts.