EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. – The El Dorado County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the Adopted Budget for Fiscal Year 2026-27 during their Tuesday meeting in South Lake Tahoe. This budget revises June’s Recommended Budget to include the final fund balances after the year-end books closed, department needs identified after the Recommended Budget was approved, and making adjustments due to state and federal budget impacts.

The Approved Budget is $1.34 billion, only $221.3 million of which is discretionary. No services or programs are reduced in this budget.

“This budget is balanced, meets all Board budget policy goals and statutory requirements, and sets aside $79 million for use in future years,’ said Chief Administrative Officer Sue Phillips. “We are able to add almost $8 million to General Fund reserves and designations, and an additional $3.6 million in Contingency.”

The $79 million held in General Fund reserves, designations, and Contingency will allow the County in future years to make progress on the implementation of its compensation philosophy and strategic investments despite slow discretionary revenue growth.

The Adopted Budget meets or exceeds all Board policies:

  • With $8.3 million in Contingency funding, meeting the requirement of being no less than 3% of adjusted General Fund appropriations, with an additional $3.6 million in Contingency for Board-approved compensation increases not included in department budgets
  • Almost $14 million in the General Reserve, meeting the requirement of having no less than 5% of total adjusted General Fund appropriations
  • Meeting the requirement to add $6 million to the Capital Projects Designation
  • Meeting the requirement to annually provide a $5 million contribution of General Fund for Road Maintenance
  • Holding $3 million in the Information Technologies Infrastructure Designation, which meets the requirement to keep three years of projected costs of planned countywide IT improvements; and exceeding the Disaster Expenses Designation requirement of $1.25 million at $1.5 million.

“While we were able to meet Board policies and fund Contingencies with this budget,” said Phillips. “Departments remain diligent and disciplined for next fiscal year’s budget. That budget will continue to constrain growth in new or expanded discretionary programs to fund Board-approved compensation increases, adapt to state and federal funding changes, and invest in IT infrastructure and facility improvements.”

“We are historically conservative in our mid-year assessment and Recommended Budget, anticipating as much change as possible that may impact our services and operating expenses,” she added.

Development of the Fiscal Year 2027-28 budget will begin before 2026 comes to a close. For detailed information on the Approved budget, click here: bit.ly/4AS2iHg