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The county commission faces a fiscal challenge demanding immediate action. Current projections indicate the county will spend $24 million more than it collects in revenue this fiscal year—a figure that increased by $1 million at the commission's final 2025 meeting. This deficit spending threatens long-term financial stability and must be addressed before next year's budget cycle begins.

The commission has experience navigating difficult fiscal terrain. During the recession, County Administrator Jim Ley implemented a "glide path" strategy combining gradual service reductions with strategic reserve drawdowns. This approach generated compounding savings that reduced projected deficits in subsequent years. Each dollar cut eliminates that expense not just for the current year, but for every year forward.

The inverse is equally true: failing to make necessary reductions today compounds the deficit and transfers the problem to future decision-makers. With term limits in place, outgoing officials may defer difficult choices, leaving successors with amplified fiscal challenges.

However, today's circumstances differ from the recession era. The county currently enjoys a 5.86% increase in property tax values—substantial growth that few households or businesses can expect. With disciplined prioritization, the commission can align spending with available resources and establish a sustainable fiscal trajectory.

The county must operate as prudent households and businesses do: living within its means through strategic decision-making. Residents and local enterprises make such tradeoffs regularly; their government should demonstrate the same fiscal responsibility.

To their credit, commissioners have identified the budget crisis as a priority concern, particularly given projections showing reserves will be depleted by 2028. Among four major policy priorities established for 2026, one specifically addresses "Budget 2028 Including Critical Service and Current Budget." This represents an essential first step.

Nevertheless, acknowledgment alone proves insufficient. The county is nearly one quarter into the fiscal year, and time grows short for implementing meaningful reductions. Establishing a glide path now can distribute necessary adjustments across multiple years, reducing the severity of cuts required in any single budget cycle.

The previous budget year offers instructive lessons. The commission lacked a clear prioritization framework. Rather than evaluating requests against strategic criteria, commissioners entertained virtually every proposal. The $24 million reserve drawdown represents the cumulative result of this undisciplined approach.

Moving forward, the commission must establish firm boundaries and rigorous evaluation standards. Commissioners should request budget reductions from administration immediately, accompanied by additional optional cuts for consideration at a mid-year workshop. These measures will address the immediate deficit and establish precedents for the 2027 budget planning process.

Eliminating the projected 2028 deficit begins with decisive action in the 2026 budget. The commission has acknowledged the problem and committed to solutions. Now comes the difficult phase: following through with actual reductions. The county's financial future depends not on good intentions, but on the commission's willingness to make tough choices that restore fiscal balance and preserve essential services.

Christine Robinson is the Executive Director of The Argus Foundation.

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