Union County Approves Budget, Keeps Tax Rate Steady for 2026

Union County Commissioners Preston Boop, Jeffrey Reber and Stacy Richards unanimously approved a $20,921,336 final budget for 2026 at Tuesday's public meeting, keeping the property tax millage at 4.72 for the third year in a row. The approved spending level represents a $278,605 increase in expenses compared with the county budget for 2024, but it does not carry a tax increase for homeowners.

Finance director Jeffrey McClintock said the final total is lower than the proposed budget because of a difference in roof estimates, and that was the only change noted at the meeting. The county also awarded a reroofing contract at the government center for less than expected, a development that reduced the projected budget need and helped avoid raising the millage rate. The millage consists of 4.56 mills for the general fund and 0.16 mills for the public library, which equates to $472 in county property tax for every $100,000 of assessed value.

The budget addresses rising costs in medical insurance for county employees while providing for eligible staff to receive step increases and a 1% base salary adjustment. Those personnel provisions acknowledge the pressure of higher benefit costs on both employees and the county payroll. At the same time the county is facing major revenue decreases that weighed on budget planning. Federal funding for bridge replacement work has declined, and Children & Youth federal grants ended in 2024, creating gaps that must be managed through existing reserves and careful spending choices.

For Union County residents the outcome means stable property tax bills from county levies next year, while county operations will absorb constrained federal support for certain infrastructure and social service programs. Departments that had relied on bridge replacement funding or Children & Youth grants will need to adjust projects and services to the new fiscal reality. The lower than expected reroofing bid provided a timely fiscal reprieve, but officials will continue to monitor insurance trends and grant opportunities as the year begins.

The unanimous vote signals a cautious approach to fiscal management that prioritizes tax stability for local homeowners, modest employee compensation adjustments, and a focus on maintaining essential services despite shrinking targeted federal funds.