Washington County budget committee hears broad cuts, service shifts as county closes in on 2025–26 plan

WASHINGTON COUNTY, Ore. — Washington County staff on Thursday presented the budget committee with a proposed 2025–26 budget that would reduce general-fund spending across most departments, shift certain program costs to ballot measures and special levies, and rely on one-time reserves and federal grants to bridge gaps while the county pursues longer-term revenue options.

The County Administrator’s Office framed the proposal as a reflection of two forces: constrained recurring revenues (primarily property tax growth capped by state law) and rising operating costs, particularly utilities and personnel. Staff proposed cuts ranging from 4% in many departments to deeper, targeted reductions (up to 16% in selected administrative offices), along with requests to use one-time strategic investment funds and existing grant balances to avoid layoffs where feasible.

Why it matters: Washington County leaders said the budget seeks to protect core statutory services while reducing support for activities that the county could either eliminate or transition to other funding sources. Staff warned the committee that some reductions carry programmatic consequences — slower facilities maintenance, fewer prevention services, and tighter staffing that could lengthen response times or require midyear requests to restore capacity.

Major near-term items

- Public-safety shifts: The proposed budget reduces general-fund support to the sheriff’s office by about 5% (eliminating a set of vacant deputy and jail positions on paper) and includes a plan to move eight filled prosecution positions from the general fund to the public-safety local option levy funding stream in the next levy…