Butte-Silver Bow council refers $168.4M preliminary FY2026 budget to finance committee

The Butte-Silver Bow Council of Commissioners on Tuesday voted to refer the fiscal year 2026 preliminary budget to the Finance and Budget Committee for more detailed review and amendments ahead of final adoption in August.

Finance and Budget Director Karen Hassler told the council the “fiscal year 2026 preliminary budget appropriation is a $168,400,000 compared to a 180,200,000 for fiscal year 2025,” a decrease of about $11.8 million, or 6.5 percent, driven largely by prior-year spending of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds on capital projects.

The move to refer the document to the Finance and Budget Committee came after a presentation from Hassler and questions from multiple commissioners. Commissioner John Morgan made the motion “that we refer the communication 2025Dash338, the preliminary budget to the finance and budget committee.” The council recorded a 9-0 vote in favor.

Why it matters: The preliminary budget sets the framework for tax-supported spending, capital projects and staffing priorities heading into a reappraisal year and a redesigned state property tax rate structure. Director Hassler cautioned that the numbers are preliminary and will change after certified values are released by the Montana Department of Revenue; she said budget adoption is expected in August after that certification.

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