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Ellis County officials weigh $1.5 million in cuts, sales tax option to balance 2027 budget
Summary
Commissioners reviewed department budget requests for 2027 and discussed options to balance a projected $1.5 million gap — including reducing transfers, freezing positions, cutting outside agency funding, and proposing a half-cent sales tax for health services funding in 2030.
The Board of Ellis County Commissioners met on July 15, 2026, to hear 2027 budget proposals from county departments and to consider options to balance projected revenues. County Administrator Darin Myers presented a revenue summary showing $23,968,004 in projected revenues and estimated unencumbered cash starting 2027 at $2.2 million; Myers said the county would need $1.5 million in cuts to be revenue neutral.
Myers outlined specific options for reductions: trimming transfers to Special Highway and Capital Improvement reserves, reducing outside agency appropriations, tightening the public works budget without jeopardizing the asphalt plan, freezing open positions, and reducing or delaying COLA and step increases. "If we want revenue neutral, we need to cut 1.5 million," Myers said during the session. Commissioners debated trade-offs: Commissioner Michael Berges noted potential savings by changing insurance arrangements and suggested conservative budgeting for health insurance; Commissioner Nathan Leiker pushed back on eliminating employee positions, saying staff reductions were undesirable.
Health funding emerged as a long-term consideration. Health Services Director Melissa Miller discussed using a future sales tax to support the department, and Myers said a half-cent sales tax for the health department could be a viable path for 2030 funding. The commissioners did not adopt final cuts or tax measures at the session and directed further meetings to refine reductions and priorities.
