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Teton County commissioners signal support for roughly one-mill increase to balance FY26 budget
Summary
Faced with a projected shortfall, commissioners discussed options and signaled support to raise the mill levy by roughly one mill to close the budget gap while using some fund balance if necessary; staff will finalize numbers ahead of the June budget hearing.
Teton County commissioners advanced direction June 9 to raise the county mill levy by roughly one mill to help balance the fiscal year 2026 draft budget, while using general-fund balance as a measured backup.
Clerk Maureen Murphy and County Treasurer Katie Smith presented updated assessed-value figures and budget estimates. Murphy said the county's total assessed value for the state report was approximately $39.9 billion. Under the current proposed levy of 6.879 mills, the draft budget showed a deficit; increasing the levy to 7.879 mills would materially reduce the gap. Treasurer Smith said a fully balanced budget (no use of fund balance) would require raising the levy to about 8.085 mills under current assumptions, and she provided a precise deficit estimate if the board retained an indicated mill value: "If you per your discussions in the last meeting, go to the 7.89, there'd be about a $778,000 deficit." (Clerk's figures)
Commissioners debated alternatives including deeper spending cuts and using fund balance for a one-year shortfall. Multiple commissioners said they preferred a modest mill increase rather than deeper cuts to county services. Commissioner MacKer said she would not raise the levy if avoidable but acknowledged the financial pressure; Commissioner Gardner said he favored raising the levy to balance and also pressed for consideration of targeted property-tax relief programs in the future.
Board direction and next steps: Commissioners signaled support for raising the mill levy by about one mill to narrow the shortfall and instructed staff to finalize budget pages and return the mill-levy ordinance for adoption at the scheduled budget hearing. Clerk Murphy said the county's general fund balance is roughly $6 million at present and staff could absorb a portion of the deficit if the board elected to use fund balance, but that reliance on reserves is not a long-term strategy.
Ending: Staff will update the budget materials and provide final figures for the public budget hearing and the formal mill-levy adoption process in late June. Commissioners emphasized preserving level and quality of service while minimizing impacts on households where possible.
