Commissioners to review proposed 2026 budget with flat mill levy during public hearings in July

The Board of County Commissioners will begin public hearings on the proposed 2026 budget at 9 a.m. Monday, July 7, in the Commission meeting room on the second floor of the historic Courthouse, 1100 Massachusetts St.

The proposed $191.4 million budget includes a mill levy of 41.298 mills, which remains flat from last year. One mill equals one dollar per $1,000 of assessed property value. Commissioners may consider lowering the tax rate and adding services during the review process.

Property taxes account for 75% of the county’s revenues. The total assessed property valuation rose 5.7% in 2025, compared to a 6.8% increase the previous year. From 2021 to 2025, the average annual increase in assessed valuation was 7.73%. The 2025 budget included a 2.9-mill reduction, contributing to a 6-mill decrease over the past three years.

Sales tax revenues are projected to stay flat in 2026. These estimates may be updated once more is known about the local economic impact of the World Cup.

County Administrator Sarah Plinsky said the proposed budget accounts for higher costs in services and materials such as software and road and bridge supplies. 

The 2026 proposal includes $16.5 million in funding for more than 40 local agencies and nonprofits:

• Behavioral health and substance use disorder - $10.3 million
• At-risk and targeted populations - $2.4 million
• Health and human services - $1.8 million
• Heritage and land management - $1.1 million
• Economic development - $736,000

The proposed budget includes funding for Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical to restore a portion of the reductions called for by the City of Lawrence. This will modify the county’s portion of shared LDCFM services from 36% to 38.25%. These increased funds will preserve many of LDCFM’s current resource levels, including seven 24-hour ambulances, six Battalion Chiefs and a Training Lieutenant. As a result, the number of full-time positions that would be eliminated in 2026 has decreased from 18 to 10. Due to current vacancies, no existing LDCFM employees would be laid off.

Commissioners will also review more than 60 additional funding requests from county departments and agencies totaling $8.5 million that were not included in the proposed budget.

Public hearings are scheduled to take place from 9 a.m. to noon, Monday through Thursday, July 7-10, at the Courthouse. Residents may attend in person or via Zoom. Meeting details and recordings will be available at https://www.dgcoks.gov/county-commission. Commissioners will begin their budget deliberations at 9 a.m. Monday, July 14.

Additional hearings for the five-year Capital Improvement Plan and Douglas County Consolidated Fire District No. 1 are scheduled for 4 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 6.

The final 2026 budget is expected to be adopted during a public hearing at the Commission’s regular business meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 27.

To view the full proposed budget, visit Douglas County’s Budget and Finance webpage.