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Gilliam County budget committee adopts $98.64 million 2026–27 budget, sets homestead rebate and tax rate
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Summary
The Gilliam County budget committee voted to adopt the county’s proposed 2026–27 budget and certified a property tax rate of $3.845 per $1,000. The committee also set the homestead rebate at 100% of the property tax bill up to $1,500 per qualifying homestead and elected committee leadership by voice vote.
The Gilliam County budget committee voted to approve the county’s 2026–27 budget and to certify the property tax rate at $3.845 per $1,000 of assessed value after reviewing fund-by-fund revenues and department requests. Committee members also set the homestead rebate for fiscal 2026–27 at 100% of the property tax bill, capped at $1,500 per qualifying homestead.
The county’s budget message presented a multi-fund proposal that the presenter described as roughly $98.45 million in total revenue and expenditures; later in the meeting the committee voted on a motion to adopt $98,640,272 as the certified total. The documents the committee reviewed detail the general fund, dedicated special funds and several large project grants that drive the differences between lines in the budget document.
Why it matters: the adopted tax rate and rebate determine the county’s property tax levy and the scope of relief available to eligible homeowners. Committee members were attentive to one-time and phasing revenues — notably wind-energy SIP payments that the county says will largely end after 2026 — and how those changes affect future tax burdens and service levels.
What the committee approved: the motion to set the homestead rebate at 100% not to exceed $1,500 per qualifying homestead passed by voice vote. Shortly afterward, a motion to approve the 2026–27 budget and to certify the property tax rate at $3.845 per $1,000 of assessed value was moved, seconded and approved by voice vote. The committee also completed routine leadership nominations at the start of the meeting, after which Brad Anderson was nominated and confirmed as budget committee chair and Wally Powell as vice chair.
Department-level context: committee members heard line-item details and departmental presentations (roads, sheriff’s office, library and others) before finalizing the budget. Presenters outlined personnel changes, equipment purchases and grant-funded projects that the adopted budget will fund in the coming fiscal year.
Next steps: the budget adoption and tax certification are the committee’s formal actions for the fiscal year; departments will implement appropriations and staff will bring any supplemental requests back to the court or committee if needed.
