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County treasurer reports modest sales tax gains; 2026 budget submissions still incomplete
Summary
County Treasurer Terry Ross told the Budget Committee that sales tax receipts are up about 3.2% year over year, roughly $561,000, while many departments have not yet completed 2026 budget submissions and were told to keep budgets flat.
At a Budget Committee meeting, County Treasurer Terry Ross reported that county sales tax receipts are up about 3.2% from the same period last year, an increase he said equates to roughly $561,000. Chairman Jan Burdick asked for an update on the status of department budget submissions for 2026; Ross said several departments have not yet turned in their budgets and some were granted short extensions.
The sales tax update was delivered by Ross, who told the committee, “You have your report in your packet,” and summarized year‑to‑date comparisons. Ross said the county is about $561,000 ahead of last year, about $1,185,000 ahead of 2022, and about $111,000 ahead of 2023. He also said a statewide report that breaks sales tax by category is being prepared and that a county‑specific version should be issued after the state association meeting in September.
The report did not include a departmental breakdown in the meeting; Ross said the statewide top categories include car sales, gasoline, department stores (now including Internet sales) and energy, and that the county‑specific top 10 categories will be distributed when available. The committee did not take formal action on the sales tax report; the item was presented for information.
On the 2026 budget, Burdick asked, “How's 2026 budget coming?” Ross answered that departments were requested to submit budgets by the previous Friday, though a few larger departments were granted extensions and are expected to have submissions by the coming Friday. He said staff has been working on the personnel portion and has met with some departments individually but had not yet compiled the full proposed budget.
When asked whether departments were instructed to hold base spending flat, a committee member confirmed they were told to “keep their budgets flat this year.” Ross reiterated that instruction during his update. The committee did not set a public timeline at the meeting for formal review of the compiled 2026 budget.
Routine committee business at the start and end of the meeting included unanimous votes to approve the meeting agenda and the minutes of the July 16 meeting, and a motion to adjourn. No ordinances, appointments, contracts or budget approvals were acted on during this session.
The committee asked staff to share the forthcoming county‑specific sales tax category report once it is released by the statewide association; no deadline beyond the association's September meeting was specified.
