The City of Carlsbad operates on a July to June fiscal year. The city budget has three main sections, the Operating Budget, which covers the day to day work of the city, like providing police and fire services, libraries, parks and recreation, and other core services; the plan for investing in digital infrastructure; and the Capital Improvement Program, which covers major construction projects. 

Fiscal year 2026-27 budget

The Carlsbad City Council approved the fiscal year 2026-27 budget at its meeting on June 16, 2026. The budget focuses on maintaining high levels of service for the community, completing major capital improvement projects and investing in public safety and core infrastructure – all while maintaining a AAA credit rating, healthy reserves and a balanced budget. 

Read a summary of the budget
View the staff report
View the preliminary fiscal year 2026-27 budget

A copy of the adopted fiscal year 2026-27 budget will be available soon.