Lancaster County administrator proposes balanced FY26 budget with no millage increase, 5% across‑the‑board pay boost and $15 minimum wage

Lancaster County Administrator Jose Marstel presented a proposed FY26 general fund budget that would hold the county millage flat while increasing operating spending by about $6.96 million and using roughly $6.9 million of expected growth rather than a millage increase.

The recommendation includes a 5% across‑the‑board pay increase for all full‑ and part‑time employees, raises the county minimum wage to $15 an hour, and funds 28 prioritized full‑time positions. It also lists $6.9 million of ongoing growth‑funded items and roughly $4.8 million of one‑time expenditures recommended to be covered from fund balance, including an enterprise resource planning (ERP) implementation, public safety equipment and facility upfits.

Marstel told the council the package aligns with the county’s strategic plan and council goals, and that the administrator’s proposal is constructed to avoid a millage increase by using expected growth dollars and fund balance appropriations. The presentation cited an audited unassigned…