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Miami County budget workshop weighs revenue-neutral plan versus mill-levy increases
Summary
Commissioners reviewed the 2027 preliminary budget and discussed options to remain revenue-neutral or increase the mill levy to cover rising costs for public safety, roads and equipment; finance director Sydney Ming laid out cuts and reserve options.
Miami County commissioners met in a July 1, 2026 study session to review the preliminary 2027 budget and weigh whether to keep the county revenue neutral or raise the mill levy to cover rising costs.
"This morning, we're gonna have a pretty lengthy discussion about 2 hours here talking, budget," said Sydney Ming, director of finance, as she opened the packet and framed several items as candidates to remain revenue neutral. Ming told the commission the county’s general fund projects about $28 million in revenue and $30 million in expenses for 2026 and that getting to revenue neutral would require approximately $572,000 in cuts before accounting for pay raises.
Ming recommended a $750,000 cash-reserve injection if the commission wanted to reach about a 15% fund balance, though commissioners discussed alternatives and offsets, including transfers from special reserves and deleting vacant positions. Commissioners debated raises at 2%, 3% and 4% scenarios; Ming said a 2% raise would cost roughly $298,000 while 4% would add about $700,000.
Chair (S1) and other commissioners emphasized tradeoffs between preserving services and repairing long-term fiscal footing if state-level valuation or spending caps change. The commission agreed to reconvene in two weeks to finalize several tentative choices and to ask department heads for clarifications on specific line-item requests.
