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Yuma County adopts tentative FY2026/27 budget with no overall tax-rate increase
Summary
The Board of Supervisors adopted a tentative FY2026/27 budget and directed staff to present a 'no overall tax rate increase' option, setting a combined public hearing for June 23, 2026. The action preserves county spending limits while shifting 0.5 cent between funds.
The Yuma County Board of Supervisors on June 1 adopted a tentative budget for fiscal year 2026/27 and directed staff to proceed with a budget scenario that results in no overall county tax-rate increase.
County Administrator Ian McGaughey told the Board the tentative budget reduces total appropriations across all funds by about 3.3% from the current year and laid out two tax-rate scenarios: a recommended option that would have raised the General Fund rate by 2.92 cents (netting about a 2.42-cent overall increase) and an alternative that increases the General Fund rate by 0.5 cent but offsets that with a 0.5-cent reduction in the Library District debt service rate. McGaughey said the no-overall-rate option would require roughly $350,000 in General Fund reductions that could be absorbed within the mid-year capital allocation.
"We heard direction from the Board to avoid an overall rate increase and to maintain fiscal sustainability," McGaughey said.
Chairman Martin Porchas and board members expressed concern about rising medical and other costs and the need for measured adjustments to avoid larger one-time increases in future years. The Board voted unanimously on three recorded motions: to set a combined public hearing on the tentative budget and truth-in-taxation for June 23, 2026 at 9:00 a.m. (motion Pancrazi/Lines), to set the recommended budget at the no-overall-tax-rate-increase scenario (motion Simmons/Lines), and to adopt the tentative budget (motion Lines/Pancrazi). All votes were 4-0; Supervisor Marco A. (Tony) Reyes was excused.
Under the adopted direction, a typical median-value homeowner would not see an increase attributable to a change in the overall county rate; McGaughey noted valuation growth would still affect individual bills. The Board’s actions set the maximum appropriation level for FY2026/27; a final budget and property-tax levy will be decided after the public hearing and required notices.
The Board scheduled the combined public hearing and truth-in-taxation hearing for June 23, 2026 at 9:00 a.m. and will accept public input at that time.
