Finance committee uses excess sales tax to close $104,250 2026 budget gap, trims two grants

The Vernon County Finance Committee voted to use $104,250 in excess sales-tax revenue to close a remaining shortfall in the proposed 2026 budget and approved cutbacks to two local grants.

Staff presenting the budget told the committee that a previously reported $300,000 shortfall had been reduced to roughly $118,000 and recommended filling the gap with excess sales-tax revenue. “So my proposal is that we fill the budget gap with excess sales tax revenue,” the presenter said. Committee members then discussed alternatives including scaling back contributions to local organizations and an on-call sheriff position.

Committee member speaker 9 moved to cut the county’s contributions to the Vernon County Historical Society and the Vernon County Agricultural Society by 25% (about $13,750 combined); the motion was seconded and carried. The committee then approved a motion to use excess sales-tax revenue to balance the remainder of the budget gap; the motion was amended to reference motion number 104342 and carried. Chair announced the vote outcome as “Motion carries.”

Committee members debated whether reducing those grants would send the wrong message to the community and whether other line items should be trimmed instead. Staff said the county expects to end the year $200,000–$300,000 above sales-tax budget projections and that a conservative $100,000 withdrawal from excess sales-tax revenue would be consistent with state statute on the intended use of that money. No roll-call vote with member-by-member tallies was recorded in the transcript; the minutes reflect the motions passed during the meeting.

Next procedural steps: the borrowing and budget resolutions will be returned to the county board’s finance committee and then the full county board for formal adoption.