Public comment will be accepted through December 1st at 4:30 p.m.





Skagit County





PRESS RELEASE

November 17, 2025




*Contact*

Jenn Rogers, Communications Manager

[email protected] <[email protected]>

360-416-1300






FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Preliminary 2026 Budget Now Available

 

The Skagit County Budget and Finance Department has published the preliminary 2026 budget online and is available for public comment through Monday, December 1st, at 4:30 p.m. Written comments can be submitted via email to [email protected] or mailed to 1800 Continental Place, Mount Vernon, WA 98273, ATT: 2026 Budget.

The County Commissioners hosted a televised presentation today on the preliminary budget. A recording of the meeting will be available on the TV21 archive page [ [link removed] ]. A public hearing to receive testimony on the preliminary budget proposal is scheduled for Monday, December 1st, at 10:00 a.m. in the Commissioners’ Hearing Room. The public may join in-person or via Zoom at the link on the Commissioners’ website [ [link removed] ].

The preliminary budget includes $84.6M of general fund expenses and general fund revenues of $73.6M, requiring $10.9M of reserve spending to adopt a balanced budget. The County Commissioners stated earlier this fall [ [link removed] ] that if 2025 spending levels were maintained for 2026, there would be a $19M deficit in the general fund. This deficit is primarily the result of increased operating and salary costs paired with revenues that are either flat or increasing at a rate much slower than inflation, as well as additional mandated county services by the state and federal government.

To prepare a balanced budget, the Commissioners proposed significant expense reductions to ensure sufficient reserves are maintained in the general fund. These reductions include eliminating 51 staff positions, transitioning the senior meal program to a nonprofit provider, closing the county for ten additional days in 2026, continuing the current hiring freeze [ [link removed] ], consolidating county resources between departments, and looking at more efficient workflows and organizational structures to ensure mandated county services continue as required.

The Commissioners additionally adopted [ [link removed] ]a 0.1% sales tax in Skagit County to be used for public safety programs and services. The primary purpose of adopting the new sales tax increase is to support public safety efforts in Skagit County, and to help balance the 2026 budget. This new sales tax will generate approximately $4M to 4.5M in new annual revenue. The tax will be implemented starting April 1, 2026, so the revenue generated for the first year will be approximately $3M. The revenue will allow Skagit County to fund additional Sheriff investigation deputies, a park ranger, and mental health professionals to support crisis response in our community. The Commissioners are also evaluating the use of HB 2015 revenue to support current public safety expenses including: crisis response deputies, support for the Mount Vernon Police Department Integrated Outreach Services, Julota software for first responder agencies, and Skagit County Jail behavioral health services.

To learn more about the investments proposed for 2026, please read the 2026 budget message from the County Commissioners. Additional details on the 2026 budget process can be found on the Budget and Finance webpage [ [link removed] ]. Questions or comments can be directed to the Commissioners’ office at [email protected] or 360-416-1300. 

 

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Skagit County [ [link removed] ]

SKAGIT COUNTY, WASHINGTON

County Commissioners: Lisa Janicki, Peter Browning, Ron Wesen
1800 Continental Place, Suite 100
Mount Vernon, WA 98273

[email protected]

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