Knox County commissioners adopt $28.64 million 2026 general-fund budget
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Summary
Knox County commissioners on Dec. 18 voted to adopt a 2026 general-fund budget with $28.64 million in estimated revenue, approving an increase driven largely by an $860,000 rise in the sheriff’s office budget and a $1,000,000 allocation for children’s services.
Speaker 2, a county staff presenter, told the commissioners that the county’s total revenue estimate for 2026 is $28,646,233 and outlined the major revenue sources and spending priorities.
That revenue figure is anchored by county sales tax revenues of about $12.6 million (44% of the general fund) and property tax revenue of roughly $6.8 million (24%). Speaker 2 said the proposed appropriations put justice-related spending — including the sheriff, prosecutor and courts — at about $13.2 million, or 46% of the general fund.
“We expect total revenue for 2026 to be $28,646,233,” Speaker 2 said during the presentation. He warned that the proposed budget includes notable increases tied to public safety: “Sixty percent of that increase is the Knox County Sheriff’s Office and jail,” he said, identifying an $860,000 rise in the sheriff’s budget as the largest driver.
Speaker 2 presented a six-year trend showing the sheriff’s office budget rising from about $5.6 million to roughly $9 million and characterized the average annual rise of roughly 10% as “not sustainable,” saying the county will need to impose guardrails on growth if the trend continues.
The presentation covered other changes in the draft budget: modest increases in insurance and liability premiums, a $27,000 implementation cost tied to an e-justice system for the jury commission, and a planned $200,000 set-aside (added in recent action) in the elections reserve to prepare for equipment replacement. Speaker 2 also said the county is budgeting $1,000,000 to support children services due to funding shortfalls and requested a $450,000 contingency for unanticipated events.
After the presentation, Speaker 2 moved to accept the budget for 2026; the motion was seconded and commissioners voted in the affirmative. Speaker 1 then declared the budget adopted and discussed scheduling for upcoming brief meetings to finalize non-general-fund items and transit project decisions.
The commissioners’ action establishes the county’s general-fund spending plan for 2026. The board indicated it will return to finalize non-general-fund budgets once the auditor closes the year and reconciles balances.