Benton County board adopts proposed 2026 levy and budget, sets max levy at $27.3 million

Benton County commissioners on Monday approved resolutions establishing the county's proposed 2026 levy at $27,315,659 and adopting the proposed 2026 budget.

County staff presented the proposed levy and budget as the board's required preliminary action. The presentation outlined a 9.56% levy increase from 2025 — about $2.4 million in additional levy dollars — and said the county will use $500,000 of reserves to reduce the levy impact. The presentation noted a 10-year average levy increase of about 3.7% and an expected 4.1% increase in tax capacity next year, which helps offset the impact on taxpayers.

The budget presentation, delivered by a county staff member identified as Monty, said the largest single driver of the levy increase is first‑year debt service on the government center project, estimated at $1.7 million, followed by compensation and benefit increases. Monty told the board the proposed levy would raise the countywide tax rate to about 48.15% (up from 45.61%) and said the median-valued home ($267,000) would see an annual tax increase of about $116, or roughly $9.69 per month.

Commissioners discussed a factual correction around a half-time position that had been counted twice in earlier calculations; Monty said removing the duplicate entry reduced the earlier projected increase from roughly 9.7% to 9.56%. Board members also noted the county's general fund reserves stood at roughly 6.7 months of operating expenditures at the end of 2024, above the state auditor's guideline of about five months, allowing the board to use some reserves this year.

After a statutory reminder that the levy resolution must be adopted before the budget resolution, the board approved the levy resolution by roll call. Commissioners registered aye votes during the roll call and the chair declared the motion carried. The board then approved the proposed 2026 Benton County budget in a separate roll-call vote.

Both votes set maximums; the board may reduce the levy or amend the budget before final adoption in December.

Monty said supporting materials in the packet include spreadsheets for outside agency funding and the capital improvement plan; he also offered to answer follow-up questions.

The board followed the statutory sequence and adopted the levy resolution first, then the budget resolution, as required by state statute.

The board also announced a Truth in Taxation public meeting scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, at 6 p.m. in the Benton County Board Room.