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Beltrami County budget committee proposes 9.63% preliminary levy increase as state and federal cost shifts bite
Summary
County Administrator Tom presented a preliminary FY2026 budget with a recommended levy increase of 9.63%, citing state and federal mandate cost shifts (probation formula changes, competency restoration, SNAP reimbursement, and behavioral health fund reductions) and background operating cost pressures; the board set a 10% levy cap as guidance and a
Beltrami County administrators outlined a preliminary fiscal year 2026 budget that includes a recommended preliminary levy increase of 9.63%, driven largely by state and federal cost shifts in health and human services and probation operations.
Tom, the county administrator, told commissioners the county relies heavily on intergovernmental revenue and that recent and expected reductions in state and federal funding have shifted costs to counties. He described projected mandate‑driven cost increases in the current biennium of roughly $700,000 (a first‑installment contingency target) and warned of larger cost shifts — $2 million to $3 million — that could arrive by FY28–29 in the health and human services arena if trends continue.
Specific near‑term adjustments included an estimated probation cost shift of $185,000 tied to a state formula change; competency‑restoration costs of about $200,000; a SNAP administration reimbursement reduction of about $100,000; and a $30,000…
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