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Scott County staff present 8.73% preliminary levy projection, outline cuts and contingencies
Summary
County staff presented a preliminary 2026 levy projection of roughly 8.73%, outlined prior-year cuts being used to stabilize fund balance, identified $604,000 more in reductions for 2027, and recommended budgeting merit and over‑complement costs to improve forecasting transparency.
Danny led the county's preliminary 2026 budget kickoff, presenting a current levy projection of about 8.73% and framing the exercise as an early-stage forecast subject to state revenue updates and further departmental requests. He told the board the figure is "prior to request or any programmatic changes" and that it reflects current assumptions about one-time state relief and existing offsets.
The presentation recalled $1.6 million in cuts made last year that are currently supporting the 2026 fund balance and identified $604,000 in additional reductions for 2027. Danny said those prior cuts included shifts such as diversion program revenue from the County Attorney's Office, reduced IT training, elimination of certain FTEs and reduced maintenance lines in Transportation Services.
Commissioners debated how to define the board's guiding principle of "living within our means," weighing whether to benchmark against growth alone or growth plus inflation. One commissioner said vague phrasing invites differing interpretations and urged concrete, measurable markers; another urged staff to continue showing both metrics so the board can compare scenarios. The board also discussed whether to memorialize the preferred approach in sub‑policy language rather than a binding rule.
Staff emphasized several unbudgeted cost categories that complicate forecasting: contractual increases (including major software renewals such as Microsoft), over-complement positions, and merit increases. Danny recommended budgeting merit at about $1.7 million and recognizing over-complement costs (roughly $819,000 at present) to give a clearer picture of recurring pressures rather than relying on vacancy savings that have proven inconsistent in prior years.
State actions and program shifts are another uncertainty. Staff reported a discovered $300,000 annual reduction in one HHS grant and warned of potential future shifts in SNAP administrative and benefits cost‑share that are being built into the multi‑year forecast. For SNAP specifically, staff noted the error‑rate cost shift would take effect in October and that the presentation showed an initial quarter impact accordingly.
Looking ahead, staff said more precise levy and budget numbers will arrive after July releases of state inflation and revenue data; a workshop and further updates are scheduled before the August 18 proposed budget and preliminary levy filings. The county will continue to model multiple scenarios and return to the board with refined numbers and options.
