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Columbia County adopts $105.9 million budget with no property tax increase
Summary
The Columbia County Board of Commissioners approved a $105,925,401 all-funds budget for fiscal 2026–2027, maintaining no property tax increase while adding 22 positions, a 3% cost-of-living raise and a 2.51% contingency. Staff said employee medical contributions will rise about 10%.
The Columbia County Board of Commissioners on June 2 adopted the county’s annual budget for fiscal year 2026–2027, approving an all-funds plan of $105,925,401 without seeking a property tax increase.
Mr. Johnson, presenting highlights to the board, said the general fund will increase 1.95% while the county added about 22 new positions across the general fund, including deputies, finance and emergency management staff. "We went into this understanding that there would be no property tax increase," he said, adding the county used a zero-based budgeting method and sought a modest decrease if possible.
The budget includes a 3% cost-of-living adjustment for eligible employees and a contingency of 2.51% (the county’s stated goal was 2.5%). Mr. Johnson also said employee medical contributions will increase roughly 10% for both employees and the employer. The board moved roads and bridges funding entirely from the general fund to the insurance premium tax fund to help balance this year’s budget, he said.
Commissioner Couch moved to adopt resolution 26-12, the annual budget; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote. No individual roll-call vote or tally was recorded in the public transcript.
The budget vote concluded the board’s substantive financial business for the evening; commissioners thanked staff for the multi-month preparation and noted the continuing fiscal pressures from county growth and service demand.
