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County presents FY27 budget proposal: two‑cent real‑estate increase (equalized), $2.5M one‑time interest inflow and fund‑balance drawdown
Summary
County Administrator Matt Small presented a $146.68M FY27 operating proposal that relies on a two‑cent effective real‑estate tax increase (after equalization), a 2% meals-tax hike and one-time $2.5M interest revenue plus $832k from fund balance; the public hearing remains open and the board will act after seven days.
County Administrator Matt Small presented the proposed FY2026–2027 operating budget during a public hearing June 2. The total proposed appropriation is $146,683,998 (excluding the Service Authority budget already approved). Because the county completed a reassessment (roughly +21% valuation), Small explained the concept of an “equalized” rate and said the administration proposes a two‑cent real-estate tax increase relative to the current effective rate, noting that on paper the nominal rate changes but equalization means an effective two‑cent increase.
Key features of the FY27 proposal:
- Total budget: $146,683,998 (does not include Service Authority). - Real-estate tax: proposal explained as a two‑cent effective increase after equalization; administrator described equalized-rate mechanics explicitly. - Meals tax: board previously approved a 2 percentage-point increase (from 4% to 6%) on prepared food to expand non-property revenue. - One-time revenue: $2.5M of interest earned on 2023 bond proceeds was included as a non-recurring revenue source. - Fund-balance draw: the proposal includes $832,517 of general‑fund drawdown; Small warned next fiscal year would require adjustments because $2.5M is one-time. - Personnel: the budget includes a midyear addition of one grant‑writer position (effective Jan 1, 2027); proposed cost-of-living and merit actions were described (schools 5% COLA plus step adjustments; county 1% COLA + 2% merit for selected staff).
Small emphasized the county’s healthy unassigned fund balance (~$48M) and recommended the board clarify policy on using amounts above a 15% minimum. He noted capital priorities identified in earlier work sessions (e.g., a CTE building) and recommended using fund balance strategically to avoid new debt. State aid and the unadopted state budget may change final school funding figures; the board cannot adopt its budget until at least seven days after the public hearing. No vote on the county-wide budget occurred that night.
Next steps: public comments accepted for 10 days on some projects; statutory 7‑day waiting period before final board action; the board tentatively scheduled appropriation actions for the June 16 meeting.
