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Hardin County files proposed FY2026 budget and sets proposed tax rate at 0.496965
Summary
The Hardin County Commissioners Court filed a proposed $30.8 million FY2026 budget that forecasts a $61,721 deficit in the interest and sinking fund to be covered from fund balance, and set a proposed tax rate of 0.496965 in a unanimous vote.
Hardin County Commissioners Court filed the county’s proposed fiscal year 2026 budget and voted unanimously to set a proposed tax rate of 0.496965 at a special meeting July 30.
The court filed a consolidated proposed budget showing $30,734,645 in projected revenue and $30,796,366 in proposed expenditures, a $61,721 shortfall the judge said will be covered from the interest and sinking fund balance to pay off a certificate of obligation related to the annex building. The county reported no remaining certificate-of-obligation or bond debt will remain after the 2026 payoff.
The proposed budget includes a 3% across‑the‑board cost‑of‑living increase for officials and employees and an additional $125 per month toward dependent health coverage (raising the county’s credit from about $500.63 to $625 per dependent, as described at the meeting). Department‑level forecasts shown at the meeting included: general fund revenue and expenditures in the low‑$23 million range, a jury fund at $972,124, a road and bridge fund at $6,133,341, and interest and sinking fund revenue of $227,470 against expenditures of $289,191 (the $61,721 deficit).
Judge Brown said the filing will be finalized with county staff and submitted to the county clerk, after which the proposed budget will be circulated to department heads. Commissioner Kupergendahl moved to accept the filing and Commissioner Cooper seconded; the motion passed with all voting yes.
On setting the proposed tax rate, the court heard rate calculations provided by the tax assessor‑collector; the meeting record listed the no‑new‑revenue rate at 0.487183, the unadjusted voter approval rate at 0.51126 and the voter‑approval rate adjusted for unused increment at 0.533383. The court recorded that the 2024 tax rate was 0.502473 and set the 2025 proposed rate at 0.496965. Commissioner Cook moved to set the proposed tax rate and Commissioner Cooper seconded; the record vote was unanimous (Commissioners Cooper, Kupergendahl, Young and Cook voted yes).
The court’s next step for the budget is adoption, which the judge said is scheduled for Aug. 26. The judge and staff asked department heads to review the proposed documents and report any errors within about a week so corrections can be made before adoption.
