Lake County committees approve FY2026 recommended budgets; ask F&A to weigh larger requests

Lake County’s Health & Community Services and Finance committees met in a joint session Oct. 21 to review and act on the County Administrator’s recommended FY2026 budgets.

Committees approved the administrator’s recommended funding for several large departments and programs, including a $8.99 million workforce development budget, a $5.16 million community development (HUD) package, a $1.2 million video‑gaming revenue fund (amended to reflect a policy change raising the retained balance from $800,000 to $825,000), the opioid settlement grant program and the county health department’s budget. The Veterans Assistance Commission reported that VAC advocacy brought an estimated $29.7 million in new VA benefits to Lake County residents so far in 2025; the committee accepted the VAC’s adopted budget.

Why it matters: The budgets approved at committee are the administrator’s recommended funding levels heading to the full board; several larger new program requests were left for a later decision or scenario‑two funding (allowed if the county’s final property‑tax scenario changes). Committees repeatedly warned that federal grant quantities — especially HUD entitlement amounts and certain DOJ or federal grant streams — remain uncertain and will affect final allocations in 2026.

Key program decisions and follow‑ups - Workforce Development: The department’s $8.99 million recommended budget was approved. The increase was driven largely by methodological changes (bringing WIOA funds into the annual budget) and by higher formula funding from the U.S. Department of Labor; committees noted the department’s high proportion of federal support and requested continued contingency planning. The SkillBridge and summer youth…