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Commissioners direct flat 'target budgets' for 2026; budget office to send letter the week of June 2
Summary
Commissioners directed county budget staff to issue target‑budget letters the week of June 2 asking departments to plan on a flat 2026 operating budget in dollar terms and to submit detailed cuts and narratives by Aug. 1.
The Board of County Commissioners instructed the budget office to distribute target-budget letters to departments the week of June 2 that will, in effect, ask departments to plan on a flat operating budget for 2026 (the same dollar amount as 2025). Budget staff and commissioners discussed how a flat dollar target does not include inflationary pressures, steps or cost-of-living adjustments and therefore departments must propose cuts or other offsets to absorb those increases.
Budget staff said they will provide department-by-department side-by-side tables showing last year's budget and the proposed 2026 target amount so elected officials and department heads can see the dollar implications. Staff recommended including a short video from the board chair and county CEO to accompany the letter to provide context to departments and encourage clear communication.
Commissioners discussed what departments should return by Aug. 1: narrative descriptions of proposed cuts, the dollar amount saved, and the operational impact on services. Staff said they will provide a template and asked departments to be explicit — for example, "eliminate this position" and describe how that would affect service delivery.
The county timeline presented by staff sets an internal deadline of Aug. 1 for operating-budget submissions, with a statutory roll-up of the operating budget on the first Tuesday in September (county staff stated this is the statutory deadline). Staff also proposed three public roundtable hearings for public input: Sept. 23, Oct. 14, and Nov. 4, and signaled an evening hearing for public input likely on Oct. 14.
Commissioners and staff discussed capital submission timing separately; capital submissions would follow an earlier June deadline for capital templates. Staff told commissioners they plan to go live with new adaptive planning budgeting software by June 30 and asked departments to begin entering budget submissions in July.
Ending: Commissioners directed staff to finalize the budget letter and related side-by-side materials for the June 2 meeting; staff will send the letter that week and proceed with the calendar that leads to department submissions on Aug. 1 and the statutory roll-up in September.
