Spokane County adopts balanced 2026 budget after $20 million shortfall

The Spokane County Board of Commissioners adopted a balanced 2026 budget on Dec. 1, County Commissioner Amber Waldrep said at the meeting. Waldrep told listeners the budget process confronted a $20,000,000 shortfall and required months of work with staff and colleagues to close the gap.

"This was quite a challenging budget to work through as we faced a $20,000,000 shortfall," Waldrep said, adding that the board closed most of the gap through strategic cuts across departments and used different county funding streams. She said the county accomplished this "with only a few layoffs and without increasing your property taxes." The transcript does not specify vote tallies or roll‑call counts for the budget adoption.

Waldrep said the adopted budget restored funding for critical juvenile justice and parks positions to keep parks open longer. She also said, in partnership with Vanessa Behan, the county was able to save a children's waiting room — a childcare program used by families accessing the courts — for at least one more year. Waldrep cautioned that a projected shortfall remains for 2027 and said she will continue working with staff and the public on future decisions.

The announcement emphasizes local trade‑offs made to preserve services while avoiding a property‑tax increase. The transcript records Waldrep's descriptions of cuts, restored positions and the continuing fiscal challenge but does not include specific department‑by‑department line items or a recorded vote count for the budget adoption.