Westfield’s 2026 budget proposal prioritizes public safety, drops tax rate amid state funding loss

Westfield, IN (September 22, 2025) — The proposed 2026 Civil City budget for the City of Westfield will be introduced to the City Council at its meeting on September 22 and will be eligible for adoption at the October 13 meeting.

The proposed 2026 budget totals $124,630,158, including an operational budget of $80,141,497, which excludes bond payments.

Mayor Scott Willis said the proposed budget is designed to balance the city's rapid growth while mitigating the negative financial impacts of Senate Enrolled Act 1 (SEA-1), enacted earlier this year by the Indiana General Assembly. 

Westfield’s property tax rate of 71.63 cents per $100 of assessed value is a slight decrease from 2025. However, the city anticipates declining revenue from SEA1 in the years ahead. In 2026 alone, Westfield is projected to lose approximately $2 million, with cumulative losses expected to reach over $10.5 million by 2028. In 2029, it is projected the City of Westfield will lose nearly $11.25 million.

“With the anticipated revenue loss this year due to SEA-1, there will be an impact to the budget,” stated Mayor Willis. “I’ve tasked our department leadership with thinking outside the box to continue being innovative. I do not want any services to the public impacted by this.”

For the second year in a row, department leaders used zero-based budgeting to build their budgets from the ground up. In addition, departments (except for public safety and economic development) were asked to reduce their budgets by approximately 5 percent. The city will also implement a “train the trainer” initiative to help reduce duplicate continuing education costs across departments.

50 percent of the total budget is allocated to public safety, continuing the city’s strategic investment in essential services, infrastructure, and quality of life improvements, as in the 2025 budget.

Key features of the 2026 proposed budget include:

Public Safety

• Construction of a new Police Department Headquarters
• Construction of Fire Station 85
• Hiring of additional personnel for Westfield Fire and Westfield Police to meet community growth

Roads and Infrastructure

• Increased funding for the resurfacing program
• Construction of Phase 1 of the 191st Street expansion
• Design and construction of Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) projects, including roundabouts at:
  • 181st Street and Grand Park Boulevard
  • Grand Park Boulevard and John Dippel Boulevard
• Design funding for roundabouts at:
  • 169th Street and Oak Ridge Road
  • 186th Street and Casey Road
  • 193rd Street and Casey Road

Economic Development

• Continued funding for economic development incentive packages
• Investment in marketing and videography

Quality of Life

• Completion of Simon Moon Phase 2
• Installation of pickleball courts and permanent restrooms at Freedom Trail Park
• Construction of a new playground and restrooms at Woods Family Park near 191st Street and the Monon Trail
• Continued funding for:
  • Neighborhood Vibrancy Grant Program for common space improvements
  • Community events including Westfield Rocks the 4th, Jams at the Junction, and Westfield in Lights
• Additional funding for Westfield Rocks the 4th in celebration of America 250

For the latest updates and detailed information, visit westfieldin.gov/budget. This page will be regularly updated as the budget moves through the approval process.

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About the City of Westfield: Westfield is the fastest-growing city in Indiana and the sixth-fastest-growing city in the country. Westfield is home to more than 50,000 residents in Hamilton County, situated north of Indianapolis. The city is known for its 400-acre Grand Park Sports Campus, connectivity to US-31 and State Road 32, and nationally recognized public schools.