Morton County commissioners on Thursday approved a preliminary 2026 budget of $36,308,571 and set a proposed property tax levy of $10,804,792, a reduction from last year driven largely by newly available county sales-tax revenue.

The county’s auditor, Auditor Rowan, told commissioners the sales tax revenue is included in the general fund totals and will help reduce the property-tax burden on local taxpayers. “That sales tax, which is paid by everybody that purchases within Morton County, visitors and residents alike, is helping reduce our property tax levies,” the auditor said during the meeting.

The preliminary budget is not final; county officials said departments may move money between line items before the final adoption in October. Commissioners were clear the property-tax levy may be lowered but cannot be raised after the preliminary vote.

Why it matters: County leaders said the sales tax proceeds allowed them to reduce the levy by more than $3.25 million compared with 2024. The change affects revenues used for general fund services including the jail, sheriff’s office and state’s attorney — all funded from the general fund.

Key details: the total estimated revenue used in the draft was presented at $13.1 million for the general fund. Auditor Rowan said the county will no longer send estimated tax statements (a change enacted by the state legislature); instead, property owners will receive notices listing dates and locations of public budget hearings. Rowan said the county had to notify smaller taxing units (fire and ambulance districts) that they must hold public budget hearings under the new rules.

Discussion and next steps: Commissioners discussed department requests that drove budget increases, including the sheriff’s office request for body-worn cameras, a replacement drone and a more suitable river response boat; those items remain in the preliminary budget and county staff said they will work through vendor demos and timing before final approval. The commission held a roll-call vote to approve the preliminary budget; all commissioners voted in favor.

The commission scheduled the final budget adoption for October, and staff said they will publish required hearing notices to property owners in the county’s newspapers and by other outreach.