About the Budget: 

OMB is responsible for the development of the City's annual budget and the six-year Capital Program. This includes conducting budget hearings with all Department Heads and subsequent meetings with the Mayor's Office Chief of Staff and the Finance Committee of City Council along with the production of all related ordinances and documents, including a comprehensive proposed budget book. In budget meetings and hearings, qualitative analysis by OMB is presented for each department.

OMB also presents the budgeted revenue projections to City Council. After the passage of the Budget by City Council, OMB is responsible for the production of the Budget Book in accordance with GFOA guidelines and the budget award certification process. In addition, OMB plays an integral part of the Bond Rating and bond issuance processes and the formulation of the City's Official Bond Statement.

Fiscal Year 2027 Budget:

Final FY '27 Budget
FY 2027 City of Wilmington Annual Budget Summary (Approved by City Council on May 21, 2026)

 

Highlights

Overview

• FY 2027 General Fund Budget total: $213,532,018

• Water and sewer fund total: $98,987,989

• No increase to property taxes and limits increases in water and sewer funds to 7%

Public Safety

• Creation of a Director of Community Safety position to lead the new Office of Community Safety

• 12 new personnel to support EMS operations managed by the Wilmington Fire Department

• $450,000 for the Community Public Safety Initiative (CPSI)

Housing

• One time infusion of more than $13 million for Affordable Housing

• $8.4 million to provide direct subsidize for affordable rental and homeownership units

• $500,000 to the Land Bank

• $500,000 to the Home Repair Program

• $2,000,000 for the vacant lot site readiness

• $200,000 for architectural and engineering  

• $1.5 million to fund a Housing Support Community Block Grant to help non-profits provide emergency support to Wilmingtonians to include eviction prevention, counseling, and rental assistance

Economy

• Creation of an Economic Development Roundtable

• Adding $4 million to the strategic fund to attract more jobs and private investment

• $1 million dollars set aside for the Small and Minority Business Development Program – the largest infusion of funds since program inception; strengthening the program through legislative solutions, updating the contract review board, and updating current procurement thresholds

Education, Arts, and Community

• Expanded opportunities for family fun in celebration of the 250th

• Continued investment in revamping City parks

• Growing last summer’s tutoring program to increase participation

Mayor's Budget Address
Mayor Carney presented the Fiscal Year 2027 Budget to City Council on Thursday, March 19, 2026. The address and City Council meeting are available to watch via WITN22 on YouTube and Facebook. 

Read the full address here: FY '27 Budget Address as Prepared for Delivery

Additional budget highlights are available here. 

Previous Annual Budgets:

NOTE: These documents should be viewed in the Adobe Reader or Adobe Acrobat app. Page numbers may be displayed incorrectly if viewed in a web browser.

Awards and Acknowledgements

The City of Wilmington Office of Management and Budget has been awarded its 34th consecutive Distinguished Budget Presentation Award by the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) of the United States and Canada for its Annual Budget for the Fiscal Year beginning July 1, 2023.