(UPDATE 13 May 2025: Budget funding was restored for the Independent – See related blog post for additional details.)

I’m seeking your input on the proposed FY2026 City budget currently before Council – One of the items we’re looking at is the level proposed by the Administration for The Laurel Independent within the “Community Promotions” budget.

For the last few years, the City has budgeted $60k for the The Laurel Independent, initiated as part of a cooperative plan to continue a local paper when the 124-year old Laurel Leader was discontinued by its parent publisher. The Independent has combined this amount with their other funding sources to publish a monthly newspaper mailed to each household. Inside, the City is provided a four-page insert where they can publish official notices, City news, legislative actions, City events, resident information, and other coverage, translating to a cost to the City of about $0.17/ copy.

The proposed FY2026 budget reduces the line item amount to $24k, a 60% decrease that the Independent has indicated is not sufficient for them to continue operations and would necessitate them shutting the paper down.

The Council began conversations about this question earlier this week at its May 7 Budget Work Session, and you can see some the thoughts I shared there (starts at timestamp 1:37:59):

As we weigh this line item and its impact on our City, I’m interested to hear your thoughts too – I’ve put together an unofficial Google survey below as a way of helping me understand your preference, and I appreciate your time and feedback.

And below, you can see the cumulative replies thus far:

Your input is valued, and don’t hesitate to reach out to me directly as well!