Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the County Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Wise County outlines balanced $65.8 million FY26/27 draft budget but warns of shortfall
Summary
Wise County officials presented a balanced $65.8 million FY26/27 draft budget on May 14, 2026, while the Treasurer warned of a $910,890 shortfall and recommended potential use of the county 'rainy day fund.' The schools requested $14.8 million in local funding; the county detailed several cost‑saving measures to close gaps.
The Wise County Board of Supervisors received a presentation on the county’s draft FY26/27 budget at its May 14 meeting. Interim County Administrator Karen T. Mullins said the proposal totals $65.8 million in revenues and expenditures and is balanced, down roughly $10 million (about 13.2%) from the FY26 adjusted budget.
Treasurer Delores Smith reported county cash and investments of $13,638,720 as of May 14, 2026, and said she expects a $910,890 shortfall despite active tax collections. Smith told the Board that the county may need to draw on its “rainy day fund” to bridge the gap until the next revenue cycle.
Mullins said a general reassessment and a $0.14 tax rate adjustment have increased property tax revenue, but noted continuing declines in coal tax receipts, projected decreases in sales tax revenue, and lower interest earnings tied to a reduced fund balance. The draft budget assumes a 2% cost‑of‑living adjustment for Compensation Board employees only, contingent on state funding.
Major General Fund expenditures, Mullins said, include education, public safety and human services. Wise County Schools’ local operations and debt service total about $17.39 million, which Mullins said includes an estimated $1.7 million in debt service relief from bond restructuring. The school system’s officials — Superintendent Dr. Goforth and Finance Director Ron Vicars — requested $14.8 million in local funding for operations and capital needs.
Mullins outlined cost‑reduction measures intended to help balance the budget: changes to the county health insurance plan (about $624,000 in estimated savings), an approximately $2.3 million reduction in the Sheriff’s Office budget through operational adjustments, the elimination of eight positions across Administration and several constitutional offices (partly offset by grant funding for about 1.5 positions), discontinuing contract cleaning services (estimated $210,000 annual savings), and a continued freeze on discretionary spending and travel.
The Board set a public hearing on the FY26/27 budget for June 11, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. The presentation did not finalize the budget; the hearing and subsequent Board actions will determine final funding levels and any adjustments.
