Wichita County proposes $84.7 million 2026 budget; average homeowner tax bill rises about $13 per $100,000 of value

County Judge said Thursday that Wichita County’s proposed 2026 budget totals $84,700,000 across all funds and carries a proposed tax rate of 0.521303 per $100 of valuation, a reduction from last year’s 0.523894 but one that will nonetheless raise typical bills because property values increased.

"This is, ultimately the taxpayer's budget," County Judge said at a Sept. 4 public hearing on the proposal, which drew no members of the public in the hearing room. "Even though the rate's going down, the average person's values are gonna go up."

The judge told commissioners the plan reduces overall spending 1.6% from last year while increasing the general fund — the main discretionary account — to $66,900,000, up 5.4% from 2025. He emphasized that nearly half of general‑fund spending, 45%, would go to public safety — including the sheriff’s office, the jail, juvenile and adult…