City adopts $99.7 million budget for 2025

By Amanda Rogers

Mansfield Record

The Mansfield City Council lowered the property tax rate and adopted the 2025 budget at Monday night’s meeting.

The council lowered the property tax rate 1.4 cents to 64.5 cents per $100 of valuation. At the council’s June 24 meeting, council members voted to increase the homestead exemption 2 percent to 16 percent. Even with the deductions, the city expects collect $3.2 million more in property taxes in 2025 due to taxes on new properties.

The balanced budget of $99,778,080 includes $34 million in projects, including a Veterans Memorial.

The fiscal year 2025 budget also adds 24 city positions, including seven in the police department, six in the fire department, one in code compliance, a public arts manager and a social media content creator.

The city has $34 million in reserve and expects to collect $1 million in hotel/motel fees in 2025. The city also paid off $15 million in debt early, saving $2.9 million in interest.

The council voted to adopt the budget 6-0. Council member Todd Tonore was absent.

Despite the reductions in tax, former city council member Mike Leyman spoke out in opposition to the new budget.

“I believe the chief sustainability officer position violates at least the spirit of the city charter,” Leyman said. “It is debatable if it is legal or not. I don’t believe there is any way that it passes the smell test. I believe the current staff can handle the responsibilities.”

The 2025 budget includes funds for five months for contract employee as chief sustainability officer until June, when the position becomes full time.

Former city council member Casey Lewis, who served on the council from May 2018-May 2024, was hired on a contract basis in June 2024 as a chief sustainability officer. According to the city charter, council members cannot be hired until at least 12 months after leaving office.

Lewis’ contract as Chief Sustainability Officer, issued to Casey Lewis Companies Inc., runs from June 1, 2024, to May 31, 2025, and pays the company $8,269.23 biweekly and includes a $500 per month car allowance. The year-long contract will net Lewis’ company $220,999.98.

Gary Cardinale, who was employed by the city for more than 30 years including 23 years as budget and purchasing director, also spoke out against the budget, city spending and hiring Lewis.

Cardinale, who spoke during public comments, questioned the council’s decision to build a new city hall and soccer stadium and the land swap with the Mansfield ISD, that traded the current city hall for the school district’s administration property and shopping center at the intersection of East Broad Street and North Walnut Creek Drive. Cardinale asked why Mansfield citizens were not allowed to vote on these expenditures.

Cardinale and other citizens have started a website that lists their concerns at mansfieldwatch.com.

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