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Lancaster County moves forward with proposed $295M FY27 budget; property tax request to rise about 3.6%
Summary
County staff filed a proposed FY27 budget totaling roughly $295 million, with a proposed 3.6% property-tax request (about $104.3 million in General Fund property tax) and key items including a $1 million solar project, $2 million cash-reserve increase, and an anticipated roughly $1 million Election Commissioner expense increase.
County budget staff told the Lancaster County Board of Commissioners on July 30 that they would file the proposed FY27 budget the next day and outlined the major figures and schedule.
Kevin Nelson, Assistant Budget and Fiscal Officer, said budgeted full-time equivalents (FTEs) are approximately 939 in the proposed plan, returning to pre‑recent-year levels after fluctuations. Dennis Meyer, the Budget and Fiscal Officer, said the total across all funds is a little over $295 million with about $173 million in the General Fund and noted the General Fund property-tax amount of about $104.3 million reflects a roughly 3.6% year-over-year increase.
Meyer explained the 3.6% property-tax request was based on assumed valuation growth plus the 2% allowable growth and estimated that the property-tax increase would produce about $3.6 million in new revenue; he said there remains a funding gap of just under $1.1 million relative to rising salaries and benefits and that the shortfall would be covered from other sources such as gaming tax and keno. Meyer also listed notable planned items: a land purchase, a roughly $1 million solar project, a $2 million transfer to the General Fund cash reserve, and a roughly $1 million increase in the Election Commissioner's budget to cover expected election costs.
Meyer said final valuation numbers were expected Aug. 20, the budget hearing is scheduled for the last Tuesday in August, and adoption will follow as usual. Commissioners discussed levy impacts and noted past levy reductions; Meyer cautioned that exact levy effects depend on final valuation numbers.
How this matters: the proposed budget sets the county's spending and service priorities and frames property-tax messaging ahead of the public hearing later in August.
