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St. Croix County board sets budget priorities as 2026 projections roughly balance
Summary
County administrators told the Committee of the Whole on April 3 that projected revenues of roughly $1.0–$1.2 million for 2026 are close to estimated personnel and benefit increases; the board asked the administrator to prioritize a step increase and manage health insurance costs while addressing a short list of high-pressure needs including HHS placement costs and court interpreter funding.
The Committee of the Whole of the St. Croix County Board met April 3 to review the first draft of the 2026 operating budget and to give the administrator guidance on near‑term priorities.
Administrator Ken Witt told supervisors the county operates on roughly $135 million in annual revenues, about 34% of which come from property taxes. After accounting for projected net new construction and a small amount of new lease revenue, staff estimated $1.0–$1.2 million in new revenue for 2026. That figure, Witt said, is roughly matched by the projected cost of a routine step increase for county employees and modest health‑insurance cost changes.
Because salaries and benefits represent about half of the county’s expenditures, the board focused its initial guidance on personnel and benefits. Witt presented scenarios: a 2.5% average step increase would cost roughly $750,000; a 1% cost‑of‑living adjustment roughly $300,000; the 2026 union contract is estimated to add about $250,000; health‑insurance premium changes could range from about $120,000 (1%) to $1.2 million (10%), depending on the actuary’s projection and benefit design.
With that context, supervisors told the administrator to treat a step increase and a narrowly scoped health‑insurance adjustment as baseline priorities and to use the administration committee to refine exact amounts and plan design. The board then asked Witt to prepare more detailed proposals and a resolution for the administration committee in mid‑April and for the full county board in May so staff can proceed with departmental budget work.
Supervisors also identified a short list of high‑priority items to inform staff work: the Health & Human Services budget pressure from high‑cost children’s out‑of‑home placements (recent years show nearly $1 million of unexpected costs), a $100,000‑range shortfall in the clerk of courts for interpreters and other mandated services, funding for a diversion worker in the district attorney’s office, the proposed split of HHS’s deputy director and a behavioral‑health administrator role, and the medical examiner’s request for increased investigator staffing.
The board emphasized uncertainty about state aid and legislative changes — including a pending request at the state level that could increase judiciary funding — and asked the administrator to present options that can be adjusted if additional revenues materialize. The committee adjourned to allow the administration committee to deliberate finer budget details and return recommendations to the full board.
