Washington County released its proposed $2 billion budget for the 2026 fiscal year Monday, and like other governments in Oregon, it is navigating a difficult financial picture and facing cutbacks to public services.
All told, officials are pitching $26.1 million in general fund reductions that would impact public safety entities, health and human services and the auditor’s office. Those cuts would eliminate 83 jobs countywide, budget documents show.
Officials warned of a $20.5 million budget gap in the county’s general fund in March, making it the fifth consecutive year that Washington County has faced a shortfall in those dollars. That fund, the largest pool of discretionary money at the county’s disposal, is estimated to total $333.7 million in the upcoming fiscal year. Officials have attributed the continued shortfalls to rising costs to provide services and stagnant growth in property tax revenue…