Nevada County supervisors signal intent to adopt $415 million proposed budget after hour-long presentation and debate

Erin Metler, Nevada County deputy chief executive officer and chief fiscal officer, told the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday that the county’s proposed fiscal year 2025–26 budget would total roughly $415 million in planned expenditures and rely on about $23.8 million of fund balance to close a revenue–expenditure gap.

Metler framed fiscal stability and core services as the budget’s primary objective while also addressing emergency preparedness, broadband, affordable housing, homelessness, recreation and climate resilience. “Fiscal stability and core services is really the primary objective,” Metler said during the presentation.

The proposal, compiled after departmental work that produced a 700‑page document, shows roughly $391 million in proposed revenue and $415 million in proposed expenditures. Metler said federal, state and intergovernmental revenues make up about 47.6% of total revenue, with much of that concentrated in Health and Human Services (HHSA). Property taxes remain the county’s largest discretionary revenue stream and are projected to grow more slowly than in prior years.

Why it matters: the budget preserves core services while funding several capital projects and new positions, but board members pressed staff for more work on the county’s long‑term pension exposure and asked for clearer narrative language on…