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El Paso County projects tighter 2026 budget, orders 5% operating cuts and hiring pause
Summary
County leaders were warned of shrinking reserves after the legislature and revenue dips; commissioners directed departments to trim operating budgets and asked HR to extend hiring waiting periods to preserve fund balance.
El Paso County Judge Ricardo Samaniego and commissioners on Monday were told the county faces a tighter fiscal 2026 budget and were asked to order operating cuts and a longer hiring waiting period.
County Manager Betsy Keller told the commissioner's court that preliminary projections show a projected general fund balance of about $72.8 million for FY 2025 and that the county needs roughly $18 million in spending reductions to reach an 8% reserve target and move toward a 10% goal. Keller said staff is asking departments to cut 5% of their operating budgets and that Human Resources will propose a longer hiring waiting period to slow payroll growth.
Why it matters: The court's reserves have fallen from prior years as revenues and expenditures diverged. Commissioners and staff said state legislation and lingering declines in key revenues — notably sales tax and federal prisoner…
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