Spokane County approves year-end and 2026 budget amendments, including $2.1M sales-tax allocation

At a final public hearing the Spokane County Board of County Commissioners approved a package of 2025 year-end and 2026 budget amendments that the county said finalize several accounting adjustments and appropriations.

Presenter Tisha (lead budget staff) told the board the county received $2.1 million in additional 2025 sales-tax revenue and proposed appropriating that amount across multiple agencies to cover shortfalls. She said the county also used federal and fund-balance sources to cover a range of items, including a DUFEE-funded vehicle purchase and two canine purchases in the sheriff’s budget and a $22,000 appropriation for Centennial Trail maintenance.

Tisha summarized other notable adjustments: $440,000 from fund balance to support 2025 union contract settlement expenses in detention services; $412,000 in 2026 for internal services to pay for new software support contracts; $270,000 for essential facilities siting under the law and justice department; $750,000 to complete a small-arms range turn lane project; and $690,000 supported by fund balance to cover unanticipated legal services in the general fund non-departmental account. She also reported appropriations in other funds, including a $400,000 hotel-motel-excise-tax-funded improvement line and a $5,000 dental-insurance fund adjustment for higher-than-anticipated costs.

A commissioner moved to approve item six A and the full set of budget amendments; the motion was seconded and passed unanimously on voice vote. The chair announced the motion passed 4–0.

The presenter noted that many adjustments are accounting or timing-related (refundings, bond proceeds, and encumbrance roll-forwards) and that remaining ARP contract spending transferred into the general fund remains available through the year.