Today, the Johnson County Board of County Commissioners adopted a balanced budget for the fiscal year 2027, one that continues to deliver core programs and services to residents while shrinking total expenditures from 2026 and maintaining a flat tax rate. The budget development process incorporated public engagement, including feedback from the annual resident survey, two budget open houses in June and a public hearing on Aug. 25.

Beginning in January, the county has taken several strategic actions to close the projected gap between costs and revenue for the fiscal year 2027 budget while maintaining a flat tax rate and limiting total budget growth to 0.37%. These steps included enacting a hiring pause for vacant positions, identifying and diversifying new revenue sources, seeking innovative cost savings and prioritizing the delivery of critical services. This work helped to close the projected budget gap and deliver a balanced budget.

“It is our priority to provide the crucial, high-quality programs and services that make this one of the best places to live in America while being as efficient and focused on stewardship as possible,” said BOCC Chairman Mike Kelly. “Our 2027 budget is up only 0.37% from 2026, and total authorized expenditures are down from the 2026 budget. Against inflation of 3.4%, this reflects the Board’s deliberate choice to absorb financial pressures instead of passing them on dollar for dollar. I appreciate the members of the community who took the time to learn, ask a question or voice an opinion.”

The 2027 operating budget of $1.378 billion supports a range of critical public services including Mental Health, Wastewater and MED-ACT. It maintains reserve levels of $530 million, meeting the recommended target to maintain the County’s bond rating.

Reserves are important for one-time needs and emergencies; maintaining reserves at or above target levels helps the county achieve the AAA bond ratings that allow the issuance of debt at the most competitive interest rates possible – saving money for taxpayers.

Significantly, the approved budget includes no new tax-funded positions in the county taxing district. New positions for 2027 are funded through non-tax revenue or reallocations of existing resources. This includes 7 new FTES for MED-ACT to improve response times and 8 FTEs for Motor Vehicles front-line staff to address service wait times.

Highlights of the adopted budget include funding for:

• Maintaining core services for the Johnson County community which aligns with BOCC priorities and resident feedback from the county’s annual Community Survey
• Securing an additional ambulance to better support increased emergency service demands for the county’s growing and aging population, and replacing public access automated external defibrillators
• Continuing the highly successful Eviction Mediation and Landlord Incentive programs that help vulnerable residents find and keep their housing
• Continuing the county’s property tax rebate pilot program that provided meaningful tax relief to 687 residents in 2026
• Maintaining important capital infrastructure, including 911 radio replacement and road and bridge maintenance

The budget includes a published mill levy of 24.119 mills. After valuation numbers are confirmed in October following the appeal process, the budget is projected to have a flat mill levy of 24.130 mills.  

“I want to express my appreciation for county leadership and staff, whose expertise and innovation allowed us to create a balanced budget for 2027,” said County Manager Penny Postoak Ferguson. “Like many jurisdictions throughout the country, our financial landscape includes reducing revenue streams and increasing costs. A commendable amount of hard work and thinking outside the box allowed us to continue to serve our community while being financially responsible.”

More information is available at jocogov.org/budget.