Medford, Oregon- The Medford City Council officially adopted the City’s $679.5 million budget for the 2025–27 biennium during its June 4 meeting, marking a 27.6% increase over the current spending plan.
The newly approved budget includes $76.8 million in contingency funds and reflects Medford’s ongoing investment in infrastructure and public services. The increase is driven largely by federally mandated upgrades to the Regional Water Reclamation Facility, as well as rising employee wages and benefits.
“Our focus will remain on serving our residents and ensuring the quality of the services we provide, whether it’s through public safety, maintaining and improving our roads, supporting the planning process, or fostering community engagement,” City Manager Rob Field said.
Despite financial struggles reported in similarly sized cities, Medford continues to take what officials describe as a “proactive, long-term approach” to municipal budgeting. The City’s Budget Stabilization Committee, formed in 2022, plays a key role in that strategy by helping to plan two years in advance. The committee includes City Council members, Budget Committee members, and community representatives who work together to identify future revenue sources and cost-saving opportunities.
The current 2023–25 biennium, which concludes at the end of June, included a range of notable accomplishments. Highlights include the completion and one-year anniversary of the Rogue X recreation facility, near completion of the Foothill Road BUILD project, and a dramatic reduction in illegal camping—from 186 sites in March 2023 to just 11 by September 2024.
Other achievements include the January 2024 launch of Outreach Court, designed to connect participants with services while holding them accountable, and the deployment of two medical response units to improve emergency response times and free up firefighters for fire-related emergencies. The City’s Building Safety department also conducted more than 20,000 building inspections over the biennium.
The 2025–27 budget period will begin on July 1 and run through June 30, 2027.
Source: City of Medford
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