The Stafford City Council meeting on July 2, 2025, focused on the significant progress of a sales tax revenue audit, which has resulted in a substantial financial recovery for the city. Council members discussed the findings from Avenue Insight, the firm responsible for the audit, which revealed that Stafford has recouped $1,392,361 in local sales tax revenue from eight businesses that had mistakenly allocated their taxes to other jurisdictions.

This recovered amount includes back pay dating as far back as 2021. Avenue Insight will receive 28% of the recovered funds, totaling $389,461, leaving the city with a net gain of $1,002,900. Council members expressed gratitude for the audit's positive impact, emphasizing that this revenue boost is crucial for the city's general fund.

The discussion highlighted the importance of the audit, noting that it was the first of its kind in over 50 years. Council members acknowledged the efforts of the Stafford Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) in initiating the audit and thanked all involved for their contributions. They emphasized that without this audit, the city would not have realized this additional revenue.

While the council reviewed the audit's findings, they decided to postpone further discussions on related agenda items due to insufficient time for analysis. The council plans to revisit these topics in a future meeting, ensuring continued transparency and engagement with the public regarding the city's financial health.