What’s Going On: A quick snapshot

Ashland’s city budget is large and complex, but in recent years it’s also become a focal point for public concern. Questions have centered on how the city builds its budget (including “aspirational” items that never materialize), how it accounts for unpaid utility bills, non-union staff pay raises, transparency with the Citizens’ Budget Committee, and choices about spending priorities that touch parks, public works, public safety, and utilities. The story matters because budget choices affect services residents rely on — from park hours to road repairs to emergency response. 

Major Controversies (plain language)

1. Big line-item budgets that never happen
City budgets in recent biennia have listed large capital projects and revenue sources that did not come to pass — making the budget look much larger on paper than the money actually spent. Critics call these “aspirational” entries and say they distort the public's understanding of the city’s real finances. 

2. Large “write-offs” and accounting questions
The city disclosed millions in unpaid utility accounts that finance staff proposed to write off or otherwise handle in ways some experts and community members say don’t match standard accounting practice. That raised alarms about transparency and whether financial entries are being recorded in the most accurate way. Local reporting has tracked this closely. 

3. Pay increases for top staff (and split public reaction)
Consultant pay studies and subsequent salary changes for managers and department heads sparked public debate. Nearby Grants Pass city council rejected large consultant-led raises after citizen pushback; in Ashland, council votes (including tie-breaking mayoral votes) have led to significant raises that many residents questioned given other budget pressures. 

4. Audit & oversight concerns
The City has used the same independent auditor (Moss Adams) for several years. Some critics have urged the city to consider fresh audit perspectives and to increase depth of independent review after questions about accounting practices and internal controls surfaced. 

5. Citizen engagement & the Citizens’ Budget Committee (CBC)
Residents and some CBC members have complained that the budget process gives limited real input to citizen advisors. When big changes are handled outside full public review, trust erodes and people worry that the CBC becomes a rubber stamp rather than an active watchdog. 

Short timeline (highlights, roughly last 5 years)

• 2021–2022: Budget cycle and pandemic recovery strain municipal revenues; Ashland continues to use biennial budget format and OpenGov transparency tools.
  
  

• 2023–2024: Debates over capital project funding and how to present projected revenues pick up steam; Parks & median projects begin raising policy and safety questions.
  
  

• 2024–2025: Reports surfaced about large unpaid utility accounts and how to account for them — sparked public and media scrutiny of proposed write-offs and accounting treatment.
  
  

• 2025: City Council adopts BN 2025–27 budget; salary/compensation adjustments for non-union staff and related public debate follows. Calls for stronger audit review and improved budget clarity increase.
  
  

When costs rise faster than revenue, hard choices follow—and transparency matters more than ever.

What's Going On

• Ashland runs on a two-year budget that pays for police, fire, parks, streets, and city staff. The city's costs keep climbing while money coming in is falling behind. Over four years, the city added $18.6 million in payroll costs and hired 27 more people—even though Ashland's population dropped. Total spending grew from $73.5 million to $92.1 million. When expenses grow faster than income, something has to give: either services get cut, fees go up, or both.

Executive Pay Raises Amid Service Cuts

• In August 2025, City Council approved big raises for non-represented staff—some as high as 19%. The City Manager's pay jumped over $10,000. About 40 residents protested outside City Hall, holding signs that read "Services not management raises." This happened right after the city added a $5 monthly parks fee and raised other utility charges. Nearby Grants Pass rejected similar raises after citizens pushed back. City Council approved them anyway, with our mayor breaking a tie vote.

New Fees on Residents

• Starting July 2025, residents saw several new charges on their utility bills. A $5 monthly parks fee was added to every electric meter. The public safety fee jumped from $1.50 to $5.00.  Water rates went up 13.5%. The wildfire fee also increased. These fees hit every rate payer at the same time the city approved big raises for city management. The parks fee only lasts two years, leaving everyone wondering what happens next when it ends.

Questionable Accounting Practices

• The city plans to write off $2.7 million in unpaid utility bills, but critics say they're doing it wrong. Instead of using proper "bad debt" accounts, the finance department wants to reduce "charges for services"—which makes it look like people used less water and power when they just didn't pay. The city's contingency fund is also $400,000 short. Reports show confusion about the City Manager's actual salary versus what was publicly stated. Some Budget Committee members call this sloppy bookkeeping.

Budget Transparency and Process Concerns

• Ashland's budget often looks bigger than it really is. The 2023-25 budget was listed at $349 million, but only $200 million actually got spent—43% never happened. The city includes big projects without confirmed funding, making the budget misleading. Financial reports come out late and often don't match earlier numbers. The Citizens Budget Committee (CBC) gets limited input, and some members say they feel like a rubber stamp. The CBC did not follow proper procedures required by the City of Ashland's Financial Management Policies.

Structural Deficit

• The city faces a $3 million gap between what it takes in and what it spends. Ambulance service income dropped over $1 million. Food and beverage tax collections fell $200,000. The general fund balance dropped $1.7 million in one year. Parks faces a "fiscal ledge" when the temporary $5 fee ends in two years. The city has been using savings and one-time money to fill gaps, but that approach can't last. Without changes, deeper cuts are coming.

What You Can Do & What to Ask

Actions Every Resident Can Take:

• Attend Budget Committee meetings each spring when next year's spending gets decided. Show up at City Council sessions and speak during public comment. Ask for simple budget summaries that show where money comes from and where it goes. Organize with your neighbors to identify shared priorities. Request copies of financial reports and ask questions when numbers don't add up. Your presence matters—officials pay attention when residents show up.

What to Ask of City Leaders:

• Demand clear answers before approving raises: how will they be paid for and what gets cut? Require proper accounting methods that follow standard rules. Ask for financial reports that arrive on time and match reality. Insist the Budget Committee review major changes before Council votes. Request long-term plans showing what the budget will look like in five or ten years. Push for honest budgets without phantom projects that inflate the numbers.

Why It Matters

Budget clarity isn’t just about numbers — it’s about values and services.

• Every budget choice affects the services you count on—from park restrooms to police response times. When accounting is sloppy or numbers are inflated, you can't make informed decisions about taxes and fees. 

• When executives get raises while services get cut, trust breaks down. Good budgeting means honest numbers, advance notice, and real input from residents. Without transparency and sound financial management, Ashland can't protect the quality of life that makes this community special..

• If Ashland wants resilient services and a healthy civic life, transparency and sound accounting are non-negotiable.

What to Ask of City Leaders:

• On Compensation: How will raises be funded? What services will be cut? Provide long-term financial modeling before approving raises

• On Fees: Clear accounting of where fee money goes; require sunset reviews; impact analysis by income level

• On Accounting: Use proper GAAP-compliant accounting methods; charge write-offs to correct accounts; explain discrepancies; Push for honest budgets without phantom projects that inflate the numbers.

• On Transparency:

  • Post current financial reports promptly

  • Provide easy-to-read budget summaries

  • Explain "aspirational" vs. actual budget items

  • Give advance notice of major changes

  • Reconvene Budget Committee for major changes (as required by law)

• On Process: Follow Charter requirements for motions and votes; include Budget Committee in salary decisions; require supplemental budgets when exceeding 10% thresholds

• On Planning: Create realistic budgets without "aspirational" items; show actual vs. budgeted comparisons; provide 5-10 year financial forecasts

Section 5: Why It Matters

• Budget decisions affect every service residents depend on.

• Lack of transparency erodes trust in government.

• Poor accounting creates future problems.

• Residents deserve honest numbers to make informed choices about taxes and fees.

• When budgets are inflated or inaccurate, the community can't hold leaders accountable.

• The pattern of service cuts + executive raises damages community cohesion.

• Sound financial management protects Ashland's future.

Quick Facts 

• 2025-27 Budget: $92.1M for 272 positions (vs. 2021-23: $73.5M for 245 positions)

• Population: Declined from 21,061 (2020) to 20,831 (current estimate)

• Personnel cost increase: $18.6M over 4 years (25% increase)

• New monthly fees: $5 parks, $3.50 public safety increase

• Delinquent utilities: $6.8M total, $2.7M being written off

• Fund balance decline: General fund down $1.7M in FY 24-25

What Residents Can Do (actions that work)

• Show up and read the numbers — Attend budget hearings, CBC meetings and ask for simple, plain-language summaries (how much, for what, and whether the money is guaranteed).
  
  

• Ask for accountability on “aspirational” items — Request that capital projects be listed separately as “pending” unless funding is secured, so the main budget reflects only likely revenues and committed expenses.
  
  

• Demand clear accounting of write-offs — Ask the city to use standard bad-debt accounts and explain expected recoveries, so future readers can see what happened and why.
  
  

• Request independent review — Encourage the Council to consider rotating or supplemental audit work to provide fresh scrutiny and rebuild trust.
  
  

• Stay informed and make your voice count — Submit comments, participate in surveys, and press for visual charts showing gap between budgeted and actuals.