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Board certifies proposed 2026 levy, approves preliminary budget and a county-wide voluntary furlough program
Summary
The board certified a proposed 2026 property tax levy (staff described an 8.5% increase and projected 14'15% residential impact due to shifting values), approved the 2026 preliminary budget ($135,608,691 projected expenditures), and adopted a county-wide voluntary furlough program to manage operational costs amid budget pressures.
County staff presented fiscal items including certification of a proposed 2026 property tax levy, a voluntary furlough program and the 2026 preliminary budget. Staff described the proposed levy as an 8.5% increase over 2025 and said residential property owners could see a 14'15% increase in their county portion of the tax bill because of shifting property-class values; transcript contains a garbled levy figure and the precise dollar amount reported in the staff remarks is unclear from the transcript and should be confirmed with county finance staff.
The board discussed fiscal trade-offs: commissioners noted reductions from earlier draft levy levels, concern about the residential impact, the need to avoid overusing reserves because of potential negative effects on future bond ratings, and prior reductions in FTEs (about 13 FTEs reduced). Staff presented the 2026 preliminary expenditure budget projected at $135,608,691 and recommended approval. The board also approved a county-wide voluntary furlough program proposed by Human Resources to help manage operational costs; the program is voluntary, intended not to affect essential services and may require bargaining-unit agreements for represented employees.
Board approved certification of the levy, adopted the preliminary budget resolution, and approved the voluntary furlough program.
