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Finance reports year‑to‑date budget vs actuals through March; sales tax trending above 2024
Summary
County finance staff reported year‑to‑date budget versus actual through March and said sales tax revenue is running about 7.3% above 2024 on a year‑to‑date basis; administrators cautioned the indicator lags and is volatile.
County finance staff presented year‑to‑date budget‑to‑actual figures through March and reported that sales tax collections are trending above last year.
Finance staff noted a reporting change in the current year: the county’s property tax revenue is recorded in department budgets rather than centralized in the treasurer’s account, which can make totals look different from prior years. Revenue highlights included tax deed sales of roughly $475,000 and other department receipts such as restitution surcharges and donations. Highway reimbursements (County Road J cooperative) also increased collections in that department.
On expenditures, most departments were where expected for the first quarter; some departments had one‑time early payments (for example uniform allowances in the Sheriff’s Department). Contingency funds referenced by two pending resolutions had not yet been charged because projects had not started.
On sales tax, administration reported a year‑to‑date trend approximately 7.3% above 2024; finance cautioned the sales tax report is two months in arrears (May distribution reflects March activity) and is therefore a lagging and volatile indicator. The administrator said staff will monitor distributions and incorporate reasonable assumptions into the 2026 budget process.
Committee members praised finance staff for improving department‑level budget transparency through quarterly reviews.
Finance will continue to report monthly results and work with departments on budget understanding and forecasting as the 2026 budget is developed.
