News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Flathead County Releases Preliminary FY27 Budget
Flathead County, MT — July 1, 2026 — Flathead County has released its preliminary Fiscal Year 2027 budget, which reflects continued investment in core county services, public safety, infrastructure, and long-term capital needs.
The preliminary budget includes approximately $146.96 million in revenue and $204 million in expenditures. While that creates an apparent difference of roughly $57 million, the County emphasized that this gap is largely intentional and is primarily tied to the construction of the new Public Safety Facility.
Nearly $50 million of FY27 expenditures are budgeted for the Public Safety Facility project. Those costs are expected to be paid entirely with existing bond proceeds that were received in FY26. In other words, the large difference between revenues and expenditures reflects the County's use of previously received bond funds to construct the voter-approved Public Safety Facility. The remaining difference is expected to be covered through existing cash balances in capital improvement and operational funds.
"Flathead County is entering a major construction year for the Public Safety Facility, and the budget reflects that reality," said Brad Abell, Chairman of the Flathead County Board of Commissioners. "The headline number is large because we are moving voter-approved bond proceeds into construction. Those dollars were received for this specific purpose, and they are being used to build the facility our community approved."
For tax-levied funds, the preliminary budget includes $87.6 million in revenue and $90.7 million in expenditures, with the difference of approximately $3.1 million coming from cash reserves. The preliminary budget includes a 2.97% increase in tax dollars related to the allowable inflationary factor and restores 5.47 mills that had been left unlevied over the previous five years.
Since 2021, Flathead County has made a deliberate effort to leave available mills unlevied when possible. However, continued uncertainty and frequent changes at the state level regarding property tax policy have made long-term budget planning more difficult. As a result, the County has shifted toward a more conservative budgeting approach designed to protect core services, preserve financial stability, and reduce the likelihood of significant budget adjustments in future years.
This approach allows the County to respond to inflationary pressures, maintain essential services, and plan responsibly in an environment where property tax laws and revenue assumptions continue to change.
Even with the restoration of 5.47 previously unlevied mills, the County still expects to leave approximately one mill unlevied.
The preliminary budget also includes a 2.15% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for employees.
The preliminary budget currently shows cash reserves for tax-levied funds at approximately 21.01%. County officials noted that this figure does not yet include expected unspent FY26 budget authority or new property tax values, which will be received in August. Once those numbers are incorporated, the County expects reserves to improve.
The FY27 budget also includes approximately $67.96 million in capital expenses, including the $50 million Public Safety Facility project. Other major capital items include Rose Crossing road improvements, road equipment, Sheriff's Office patrol vehicles, a SWAT team vehicle, continued investment in the 800 MHz emergency communications project for the Flathead County Emergency Communications Center (9-1-1), and a $4 million liner excavation project at Solid Waste.
The County has also budgeted $12 million in transfers to the Capital Improvement Program, which will be saved for future capital needs.
The final budget adoption and public hearing is scheduled for August 27, 2026, at 10:00 AM.
For more information, please contact Flathead County Public Information Officer Tanath Bradley at