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Passaic County introduces 2026 budget on first reading, cites rising health-care costs and preserves services
Summary
The Passaic County Board introduced the 2026 budget on first reading March 24, citing growing health and prescription costs as the largest fiscal pressure while keeping a proposed 1% salary increase and maintaining core services; the board also approved two bond ordinances and scheduled a public hearing on the budget for April 28.
Passaic County officials presented a budget framework March 24 that administrators said would preserve essential services while responding to rising health-care and prescription costs.
The county administrator, introducing the 2026 budget, told commissioners the year’s presentation was “the most challenging” of his four budget cycles but said the county’s strong financial foundations let officials present “a responsible budget that is maintaining essential services vital to our residents.” The board voted unanimously to introduce the budget on first reading and set a public hearing for April 28, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. at 401 Grand Street.
Why it matters: presenters warned that sharp increases in group hospitalization and prescription costs — which the administration described as a major driver of local fiscal stress — are squeezing county budgets across New Jersey. The presentation said the county lost $3.17 million in federal funding during the prior year and that…
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