Peoria County committees approve fiscal 2026 budget, levy and appropriation ordinance after debate over reserves and fees

Peoria County's joint finance and executive committees approved the fiscal 2026 budget, a 2025 tax levy payable in 2026 and related appropriation actions during a Nov. 6 meeting that included extended debate over reserves, vacancy funding and fee increases.

Heather (county finance staff) presented the recommended fiscal 2026 budget: general fund revenues of $64.2 million, a total county budget of $172.5 million, and a proposed tax levy of $36,164,881 at a rate of 82.41 cents per $100 of equalized assessed value (EAV). The administrator's recommendation included a planned use of about $18.3 million in reserves across funds, staff changes that net to a small FTE decrease, and approximately $30 million in capital and project investments including $3.5 million for initial jail master-plan engineering and design.

The committee approved a joint resolution to appropriate $725,000 from the risk-management reserve into the claims-liability line to cover a large litigated settlement and other pending liabilities. Heather told the committee the appropriation is a joint request with the county operations committee and is intended to cover settled and…