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Missoula County opens public hearing on preliminary FY2026 budget, cites $5.76M in base‑budget needs
Summary
County leaders presented the preliminary FY2026 budget and opened a public hearing Wednesday, saying base‑budget increases driven by personnel, detention costs and debt service would require roughly $5.76 million in additional property‑tax funding unless certified taxable values reduce the burden.
Missoula County commissioners opened a public hearing Wednesday on the preliminary fiscal‑year 2026 budget after a presentation from Chief Administrative Officer Chris Lounsberry and Chief Financial Officer Andrew Chorney that outlined base‑budget shortfalls and department‑level increases.
Lounsberry told the board that legislative changes this year (identified in the presentation as House Bill 231 and Senate Bill 542) altered property‑tax rates and added a one‑time $400 state rebate for many primary residences, but that the county must still fund statutory services. "For every dollar that folks pay in property taxes in Missoula County, 90% of that goes directly towards performing the statutory functions that Missoula County is required to provide," Lounsberry said.
CFO Andrew Chorney outlined the county’s base‑budget increases and debt obligations. Departmental personnel and operations increases cited in the presentation included: a roughly $1.16 million proposed increase in the general fund (largely personnel), a $235,450…
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