LIMA, Ohio (WLIO) – Allen County commissioners are roughly halfway through their 2026 budget process, meeting with department heads to review requests and project next year’s spending.
At this point, officials say the budget appears relatively flat, likely close to this year’s $37.6 million, though rising utility costs remain a concern.
“Cost utilities going up. The county has more than one structure, so when you're looking at those utility bills, obviously we have to be able to budget for that. There's a cost factor that goes into maintenance fees and different things, so we have to be prepared to pay those costs. But we are looking at a relatively flat budget that's based on the projected dollars that are going to be coming into the county,” said Cory Noonan, Allen County commissioner.
Sales tax revenue accounts for just over 60% of the county’s budget, with interest, service fees, and other sources making up the remaining 40%.
