The City of Milton’s annual Budget Book has earned “the highest form of recognition in governmental budgeting,” according to this field’s top organization that bestowed the honor.

This is the eighth consecutive year – representing all eight times that Milton has produced such a document and submitted it for consideration – that the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) has given Milton its Distinguished Budget Presentation Award. The latest such prestigious recognition relates to the document presenting, in extensive detail, the City of Milton’s financial plan for Fiscal Year 2026, which runs from October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026.

That comprehensive presentation, known as Milton’s Budget Book, can be found HERE: https://www.miltonga.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/8947/639011241901200000.

Three reviewers exhaustively reviewed this document, rating it across a range of criteria. They gave scores and offered written commentary, in multiple cases describing elements of Milton’s FY2026 Budget Book as “outstanding” and “excellent.”

“The budget document excels in clarity and accessibility, making complex financial data comprehensible to the average reader,” one reviewer said. “The layout is visually appealing and consistent, enhancing the overall reading experience. It’s evident that the budget has been thoughtfully designed with the reader’s needs in mind, providing essential information in an organized and intuitive manner.”

Milton got “special recognition” in two categories for receiving the highest possible marks from all three reviewers. They are Strategic Goals and Strategies (with a reviewer calling it an “excellent Policy Plan”) and Performance Measures (described as “a great performance management system and service level analysis”).

The City of Milton has a proud tradition of excellence in financial reporting, which aligns with its longstanding emphasis on transparency, clarity, and responsible budgeting. The other financial documents that the City produces – the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report and the Popular Annual Financial Reports – have also earned the highest-possible GFOA recognitions for every edition created. (For more on the most recent recognitions for those, go to https://www.miltonga.gov/Home/Components/News/News/3333/.) Honors for these two reports combined with the Budget Book award is called the “Triple Crown” for government financial recognition.