Carver County administrator recommends preliminary 8% levy increase to cover cost shifts and capital needs

County Administrator Colin Hemsey and finance staff presented a preliminary 2026 budget recommendation to the Carver County Board proposing an 8 percent levy increase: 6 percent for base needs and a targeted 2 percent ‘‘surcharge’’ to cover identifiable state and federal cost shifts. The administration said the county faces an unusually concentrated set of mandated cost increases in 2026 and beyond. The staff estimated a roughly $1.5 million immediate cost shift in 2026 tied to child‑protection and other state‑shifted items; staff cited another roughly $4 million in identifiable state and federal impacts in 2027–2028 under current law. Hemsey recommended the 2 percent surcharge for three years (2026–2028) to begin building levy capacity to pay those recurring costs rather than relying on one‑time reserves. Major budget drivers listed by staff included: wages and benefits…