Kendall County proposes $2.9M draw from reserves for three capital projects and a 0.5¢ tax‑rate cut

Kendall County’s commissioners court opened its special budget workshop Wednesday by outlining a FY2027 draft that relies on about $2.9 million of reserve balance for three one‑time capital items. County Judge (S1) said the principal items are a $2,000,000 move‑in‑ready building across the street, $600,000 to construct a storage building, and $300,000 for a countywide space‑needs study.

“Without those three items, we require no reserve balance,” the judge said, describing the purchases as discretionary and subject to the court’s approval. County budget staff emphasized the county’s general operating balance can cover roughly $2.0 million of capital improvements without tapping reserves.

Budget staff also flagged other capital requests that, if retained, would raise the total capital ask to about $4.97 million. Auditor/budget lead (S5) said the court can reduce that total by permitting some departments to buy items now from FY2026 funds: “You can get some of these smaller things by September 30 and reduce next year’s ask.”

On taxes, the judge proposed a 0.5¢ reduction in the property tax rate as achievable under the proposed spending plan but cautioned that the court must adopt a final budget before setting a tax rate. “You cannot decide a tax rate until you have a budget,” the judge said, noting the appraisal district must certify values by July 25.

The court directed staff to continue refining revenue and reserve projections; the county’s appraisal certification and subsequent public hearings will determine the final tax‑rate decision. The budget workshop continues in follow‑up sessions in July.