40 Agencies Getting Almost $15 Million From Tuscaloosa Face a Harder Look in 2028

Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox is warning the dozens of nonprofits, agencies, and outside organizations that receive city money that the way they get it is about to get more scrutiny.

The city budgeted more than $14.7 million for outside agencies in fiscal year 2026, spread across 41 organizations ranging from a $4,650 allocation for Arts 'N Autism to almost $4.2 million for the Tuscaloosa County Park and Recreation Authority.

There were only three larger budget lines in the city's 2026 general fund budget - the police department, fire department, and the Construction, Facilities, & Grounds department.

"The agencies we fund would collectively be the fourth-largest department of the city, just to give you a sense of how much we're funding across 40-plus different agencies in Tuscaloosa," Maddox said last week. "Those are taxpayer dollars, and those dollars, like ours, must be spent wisely. So what we want to do is implement processes that ensure accountability."

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About two-thirds of the city's agency funding goes to four multi-million-dollar recipients: PARA, the Tuscaloosa City Schools Board of Education, the Tuscaloosa Public Library, and Visit Tuscaloosa.

Most of those agencies are level-funded in Maddox's recommended 2027 budget, but he told reporters last week that a harder look is coming, likely in the 2028 budget.

"Just because you have a legal reason to spend dollars doesn't mean you have an appropriate reason to spend dollars," Maddox said. "We want to make certain all of the city's tax dollars are spent wisely and for the intended purpose."

PARA would also take a slight cut in 2027 if the city council chooses to take over management of half a dozen public parks that are currently overseen by PARA. 

Maddox also reiterated a point that he's been making increasingly over the last few years - his administration is really not interested in continuing to pay a disproportionate share of the operating costs of agencies that also serve Northport and the rest of Tuscaloosa County.

"If you're serving a county-wide need and the city is funding 65% of a county-wide service but our population is only 48% of the county, or your service portfolio is only 40% city residents, why is that?" Maddox said. "I work for the 115,000 people here in Tuscaloosa, and I want to make certain that what we're funding is for the people of Tuscaloosa."

Maddox said Lillie McIntyre, who runs the city's grant programs, will lead the review and work directly with agencies. He said the response so far has been receptive.

"Maybe excited is too strong a word, but most agencies I've talked to are, frankly, appreciative of the fact that we want to engage more," Maddox said. "The majority of our agencies are doing fantastic work across Tuscaloosa, and we want to make certain that our dollars are amplifying their efforts."

His $356 million 2027 budget recommendation now goes before the Tuscaloosa City Council for consideration.

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