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Kenosha County reports nearly $2 million 2025 surplus, says reserves put it near AAA target
Summary
County finance staff told supervisors that 2025 ended with just under a $2,000,000 surplus, boosted by a $7.85 million human services surplus and higher sales tax receipts; unassigned general fund balance stands at $26.7 million and with assigned reserves the county estimates it is approximately at a 30.7% reserve level, supporting its AAA rating.
Kenosha County finance staff reported that the county closed 2025 with just under a $2,000,000 surplus, driven largely by a $7,850,000 operating surplus in Human Services and better-than-expected sales-tax receipts.
"We ended the year with just under a $2,000,000 surplus," the finance presenter said, and noted a $740,000 sales-tax surplus that produced roughly $22.3 million in sales-tax revenue for 2025. The presenter also cited a $1.2 million surplus in the golf division and a $540,000 surplus in public works as contributors to the positive result.
The county’s unassigned general fund balance was presented as $26,700,000. Officials described a two-part reserve picture: a county-board minimum requirement of 17% (about $15.6 million) and a target of roughly 30% favored by rating agencies. The presenter said that, when certain assigned reserves (including a $1.5 million health-insurance reserve) are included, the county is at about 30.7%.
Finance leaders emphasized why the reserve matters. The presenter warned that placements, inmate medical costs and other unbudgeted items can swing results year to year, and that a healthy fund balance provides insurance against downturns. "If we have to draw on them, we can draw on them," the presenter said, describing the fund as the county’s liquidity buffer.
Supervisors pressed for additional detail on where the fund balance is invested; the presenter said a portion is held in the Local Government Investment Pool for liquidity while other amounts are in longer-term agency and treasury securities, and that the county has been averaging near 5% on invested balances.
County officials reminded supervisors that budget work for 2027 is already underway: divisions submitted budget materials in June and July, administrative review runs in August, committee hearings are scheduled for October, and the county-executive presentation and the board's first reading of the budget are slated for early November. Officials described the process as beginning in April and continuing through November.
The finance presenter also noted the county has maintained a AAA rating from Standard & Poor’s and said that the rating has produced significant interest savings — roughly $200,000 a year on average and over $1,000,000 in cumulative interest savings to date. That rating will be a factor as the county considers borrowing for capital needs in the coming year.
