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Miami County reports lower Q1 revenues, sales tax down 5.9% year over year
Summary
County finance staff told commissioners first-quarter revenue collections are lower than the same period last year — led by a 5.88% drop in sales tax through the first three months — while expenses are modestly higher; commissioners were urged to await additional months of data before changing assumptions for the 2026 budget.
Miami County finance staff presented a first-quarter 2025 update showing collections below the same period in 2024 and a modest increase in spending, with a notable year‑over‑year decline in sales tax receipts.
Assistant Administrator Lucas Balancer (presentation) told the commission the county has collected less revenue in Q1 2025 than Q1 2024 and that spending is slightly higher, driven in part by routine cost increases and timing differences in collections. He said sales tax is the primary near-term concern: "we're down 5.88% year over year through the first 3 months," the report shows.
Balancer noted the county's two largest revenue drivers are ad valorem (property) taxes, which account for about 64% of revenue, and sales tax at roughly 14.4%. Staff cautioned that one quarter is an imperfect signal and recommended waiting until midyear for a clearer picture. "Give me, like, till June and we can probably get a more well-rounded picture of what's actually going on," Balancer said.
Staff also reported higher-than-expected investment interest in early 2025 caused by a matured CD deposit that produced a lump-sum return in late January/early February. Road and Bridge figures are affected by a deliberate budget republishing last year that moved cash into the department to permit extra asphalt projects; that change explains higher spending in that fund relative to earlier periods. Balancer said the department typically incurs most of its costs in the summer construction season.
On debt, staff noted the county's debt-service obligations decreased after the final payment on one administrative building bond last year; total budgeted debt service for 2025 is about $2.1 million. Staff said the county continues to make scheduled payments on bonds for the detention center and a county radio system.
Why it matters: Sales tax is a material revenue source for Miami County; a sustained decline would reduce discretionary funds available for capital projects and could affect the county's approach to the 2026 budget. Commissioners discussed the timing of budget decisions and were told the county will begin a series of capital‑planning and compensation conversations before the full departmental budget hearings.
What's next: Staff will continue reporting monthly and will lead capital-improvement-plan and compensation discussions in the coming weeks to frame the 2026 budget process.
