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Finney County adopts 2026 budget, votes to exceed revenue-neutral rate
Summary
The Board adopted a $68.6 million 2026 budget with a mill levy of 47.37, approving a resolution to levy above the revenue-neutral rate after a public hearing; commissioners answered public questions about opioid settlement revenue.
Finney County commissioners adopted the county’s 2026 budget and voted to levy a property tax rate above the state-calculated revenue-neutral rate during their Sept. 2 meeting.
Interim county administrator Gary Meager said the board had previously authorized intent to exceed the revenue-neutral rate at a July 14 special session. For 2026 the county’s revenue-neutral rate was calculated at 45.99 mills; the board adopted a mill levy of 47.37 mills. Meager told the commission the approved levy would generate approximately $29,321,723 in property tax revenue against maximum county expenditures of $68,595,421 as shown in the published budget certificate.
The commission held the required public hearing on exceeding the revenue-neutral rate; no members of the public offered testimony on that single issue. After the hearing, the board adopted by roll call a resolution to exceed the revenue-neutral rate (recorded as Resolution 25-2025) and then adopted the 2026 budget by roll call vote.
During the broader budget adoption segment, a member of the public, Britney Martin, asked about a planned increase in projected “opioid settlement” revenue, from $18,625 in the current budget to $580,000 in the proposed 2026 budget. Meager and staff explained that opioid settlement funds are payments from litigation settlements with manufacturers and distributors; the amounts received by local governments vary year to year and are restricted to programs addressing opioid addiction, treatment and prevention. Meager said counties typically budget at a maximum expected amount so they have authority to spend if a larger settlement arrives; if the funds do not arrive, they are not spent.
The board voted in favor of the resolution to exceed the revenue-neutral rate and then adopted the 2026 budget. Roll-call votes on both measures were recorded as unanimous in favor of the motions.
Meager and staff said next steps include routine budget execution and the county administering any opioid-settlement funds through an opioid task force composed of the health department, EMS, LiveWell Finney County and other local partners.
