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Thurston County managers outline biennial budget shortfall; board directs department targets and revenue options
Summary
County managers told commissioners the general fund faces roughly a $36 million shortfall driven by a projected $160 million in expenditures versus approximately $124 million in revenue; the board has identified $17.2 million in revenue/capacity options and additional expense reductions to balance the 2026 preliminary budget, with further work on
Olympia, Wash. — Thurston County managers briefed the Board of County Commissioners at the Oct. 1 work session on progress toward closing a projected general-fund shortfall and the next steps for building a balanced biennial budget for 2026–27.
County Manager Leonard Hernandez told commissioners, "we started with acknowledging the deficit of 36,000,000 based on ... the forecast and the expenditures," and outlined the board’s multi-part approach to close the gap: across-the-board reductions, targeted restorations, and revenue and capacity measures.
Why it matters: The county’s projected budget shortfall affects departmental services and staffing across county government. The board’s decisions will influence spending levels, service delivery and potential future requests to the electorate or the state.
Scope…
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