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Penobscot County approves amended 2026 budget to address jail deficit
Summary
The Penobscot County Commission unanimously approved an amended 2026 budget on Dec. 30 that includes a roughly 13–16% increase over 2025 driven largely by jail-related shortfalls; the board allocated $75,000 in PILT revenue for consulting and transitional costs and heard public comment urging alternatives to building a new jail.
The Penobscot County Commission unanimously approved an amended 2026 county budget on Dec. 30, citing a persistent deficit in the jail budget as the primary driver of higher county costs.
Finance Director Brenda Palmer told the commission the package presented included about $850,000 in expenditure reductions and roughly $150,000 in added revenue, with departmental expenses around $23,000,001 and jail-related reductions of $391,000. After accounting for changes and an added transfer from fund balance, staff said the net amount to be raised through taxation represents an increase over last year…
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