Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Budget 2026 topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Jefferson County budget ordinance fails to advance after divided vote; auditors clarify cannabis accounting
Summary
A proposed 2026 county budget totaling $165,575,765 did not advance after a 3–3–1 vote. County auditors explained recreational cannabis tax receipts are blended in sales tax until six dispensaries exist in unincorporated areas; ordinance language directs marijuana receipts to pay down certificates of participation first.
County Executive Dennis Gannon presented the proposed Jefferson County fiscal 2026 budget and said the total is $165,575,765. "The total of this budget is $165,575,765," he said, and added the plan includes a $1,500,000 paydown on certificates of participation, reducing the county's COP balance.
The council opened a public hearing on the budget and heard questions from residents and stakeholders, including Alan Lederbrand, who asked why the bill title now refers to "transferring unencumbered fund balances" and sought separate line items for recreational cannabis receipts. "So what funds are being referred to and where are they being moved to?" Lederbrand asked during his testimony.
County auditors and staff responded that the phrase "transferring unencumbered fund balances" is standard and had been inadvertently omitted last year. Ms. Zappler, representing county auditors, explained accounting limits for cannabis receipts: "Until we exceed six dispensaries, we cannot separate that out in the general ledger," she said, adding the receipts are presently grouped with sales tax for confidentiality reasons.
Council members then considered Bill 25‑11321, the ordinance adopting the 2026 budget. The clerk reported a vote of 3 yes, 3 no and 1 abstention; without a majority the motion did not pass and the bill did not advance. Council discussion before and after the vote focused on transparency in budget presentations, how marijuana-related receipts are recorded and the direction in prior ordinance language that any cannabis proceeds be used first to pay down county debt.
Next steps: the failed motion means the ordinance can be amended and reintroduced or placed on a future agenda for further consideration; auditors and staff recommended more detailed public-facing documentation to track particular revenue lines once statutory thresholds for separate accounting are met.
