Grand County’s 2026 budget forecasts local revenue boost, decreased state and federal funding
Meg Soyars/Sky-Hi News
At the Board of Grand County Commissioners meeting on Aug. 19, finance director Alina Bell gave a presentation on the county’s 2026 budget process. She reviewed Grand County’s actual revenue from all sources in 2024 then gave an estimate for the 2026 budget.
Bell currently estimates: a 3.3% increase in total taxes in 2026. For 2025’s budget, the total taxes collected equaled $39,880,431. This amount comes from property lodging and sales taxes, as well as miscellaneous other taxes. For the 2026 budget, the total estimate in taxes is $41,199,322.
In addition, she estimates an 8.6% decrease in intergovernmental revenues; that sales tax revenue will remain flat; and a 6% increase in charges for services such as EMS, the Clerk and Recorder’s office, airports and other departments.
Grand County’s 2026 budgeted revenues are projected to be lower than the 2025 budgeted revenues by 22.3%. Total operating revenues in 2026 are projected to be $76,941,106; total budgeted operating revenues for 2025 are $98,980,016. The county received $22 million for the construction of a new EMS station in 2025 which reflects the difference between the two budgets.
Read a detailed version of the budget here. The full agenda from the county meetings and budget documents can be viewed at Co.Grand.Co.us/AgendaCenter.
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