Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Budget Appropriation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Peoria County Board adopts $174 million FY2026 budget and $36.16 million levy, approves targeted amendments
Summary
The Peoria County Board approved a $174 million FY2026 budget and a $36,164,881 tax levy; votes included a unanimous vacancy‑fund language amendment and a 15–3 vote pausing board travel funding for one year.
The Peoria County Board adopted the county’s FY2026 annual appropriation and budget ordinance after a presentation by CFO Heather McCord and floor votes on several amendments that reallocated funds and directed next steps for jail planning.
Heather McCord, Peoria County Chief Financial Officer, presented the amended FY2026 budget and said total sources and uses are each $174,000,000, noting an overall expense increase of $1.7 million from the recommended budget and a recommended levy of $36,164,881 at a flat 82.41¢ per $100 of equalized assessed value. “This includes the amendments that were passed at committees,” McCord said while highlighting a planned $3.5 million for preconstruction services tied to the jail master plan and several capital projects totaling $31,690,000.
Board debate focused heavily on funding for jail improvements and on how to fund large capital requests without increasing taxes or pursuing bonds. Member Ricker and others urged clearer, earlier funding plans for the jail projects; Member Ricker moved to delay adoption of the budget until the board’s Dec. 11 meeting to allow staff to present an initial funding plan, saying the board needed to show where the money would come from. That motion failed 3–15.
On the floor the board approved two notable amendments before final passage. Member Phelan’s amendment to clarify use of leftover vacancy dollars (to ensure funds return to the originating committees rather than be centralized) passed unanimously (18–0). Member Daley’s amendment to pause funding in FY2026 for county board members to attend conferences — intended as a symbolic belt‑tightening to prioritize jail funding — passed 15–3.
After consideration of amendments and floor debate, the FY2026 annual appropriation and budget ordinance passed as amended, 16 ayes and 2 nays. The tax levy ordinance for 2025, payable in 2026, passed earlier in the meeting 16–2, with Member Elsasser and another member recorded as nay votes.
McCord highlighted that personnel expenses are approximately 40% of the overall budget and that the county expects a 6.75% growth in equalized assessed value, which translates to $2.2 million in additional property tax revenue next year. She also noted the general fund would carry a $1.2 million deficit for FY2026 that the board intends to fund from reserves to support preconstruction work on the jail master plan.
The board directed administration and project staff to present further details to committees in November and to provide funding plans for the jail projects; the board’s motion to delay final adoption to December was rejected, leaving the adopted budget and levy in effect.
Next steps: Administration will present the initial funding plan for jail improvements to the board at upcoming committee meetings; departments will implement budget allocations and report on ARPA project closeouts and capital project timelines.
