Northumberland County proposes $47.25 million fiscal 2026 budget, plans 8¢ real estate tax increase

Northumberland County Administrator Miss Tedlock presented a proposed fiscal year 2026 budget totaling $47,248,158, telling the Northumberland County Board of Supervisors the plan ‘‘does include a proposed 8¢ real estate tax increase’’ and, as drafted, ‘‘does still exceed the revenue and dips into the undesignated fund balance.’’

The proposal largely reflects departments’ submitted requests but does not include salary increases, one-time bonuses or new positions. Miss Tedlock said the proposal includes only level funding for the school division because the school budget ‘‘has not been presented to the board of supervisors’’ and therefore was not incorporated.

Why it matters: the draft would reduce the county’s unassigned fund balance. Miss Tedlock estimated an unassigned (undesignated) fund balance of about $3,000,000 under the current draft; by contrast she said the fiscal 2024 audited number was about $7,000,000. She told the board a possible school request of about $1,000,000 could lower the balance to roughly $2,000,000.

Key budget figures cited by Miss Tedlock included education at roughly $22.0 million (about 48 percent), public safety at about $8.04 million (17 percent) and health and welfare at about $4.07 million (9 percent). She also reported current county debt service around $24 million in principal with roughly $2 million paid annually and noted the regional radio system debt service of about $5.5 million with an annual payment near $507,000.

Miss Tedlock said the county will change its usual process this year by meeting directly with departments to identify cost savings before advertising the full proposed budget. She described two specific CIP items the board had on its preliminary list: two sheriff’s vehicles (about $155,765) and a school well replacement listed at $390,000; she said both items ‘‘may need to be reevaluated further’’ as departments are reviewed.

On health insurance, Miss Tedlock reported a budgeted increase of about $66,732 (a 4.3 percent rise) and said the board had previously agreed to pick up that cost for employees as of March 2025.

The board also considered a revenue-anticipation resolution to permit short-term borrowing if needed; a motion to approve that resolution passed. Miss Tedlock said the resolution would allow the treasurer and administrator to move forward with borrowing if necessary.

Miss Tedlock closed by noting additional procedural steps still required: the school division must present its budget, the board must hold a public hearing on the school budget, and the county must hold its own budget public hearing. She said staff will prepare a ‘‘cut list’’ of proposed reductions and circulate it to the board ahead of the usual advertising schedule.

The board directed staff to continue department-level reviews and scheduled a follow-up meeting to continue budget work.