LAFAYETTE PARISH — Lafayette city and parish council members got their first look Tuesday at Mayor-President Monique Boulet’s proposed $830 million budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year, a spending plan the administration says is balanced and free of deficits.
During a joint budget presentation, Boulet and Chief Financial Officer Karen Fontenot outlined the administration’s priorities, including pay increases for first responders, investments in parks and recreation facilities, drainage improvements and road infrastructure.
“I don't think there's any surprises in the budget,” Boulet said during the meeting.
Among the proposal’s largest personnel investments is a minimum $3,000 pay increase for police officers and firefighters. Boulet said the adjustment is aimed at keeping salaries competitive and improving recruitment and retention.
“We really value our police and our fire—our first responders are tremendous,” Boulet said. “Raising that starting pay is really the goal and keeping it competitive.”
The budget also proposes $4.6 million in capital improvements for parks and recreation facilities across Lafayette. Planned upgrades include installing timed automated locks on public park restrooms.
“We are putting timed automated locks on all of our public bathrooms in our parks,” Boulet said. “I think everybody can understand why that's important. That's where some of the oddest things happen in town.”
Infrastructure spending is another major focus of the proposal. The budget includes nearly $30 million for drainage maintenance and flood mitigation projects, continuing the administration’s efforts to address long-term flooding concerns throughout the parish.
The plan also sets aside $750,000 for improvements to East Broussard Road, an area Boulet said has experienced rapid development without corresponding infrastructure upgrades.
“East Broussard really has never been addressed,” Boulet said. “It was not a project, not even on the books or in concept or anything, and the amount of growth happening off of that roadway is overwhelming. It's overwhelming for the residents that live there, and it's a lot for the city. So we really need to be thinking forward.”
Fontenot said council members received copies of the proposed budget Tuesday afternoon, with the full document scheduled to be posted online later that evening.
Budget review meetings are scheduled for Aug. 6, Aug. 11 and Aug. 13 before the proposal moves through the council approval process.
