Last week, the Rice County Board of Commissioners approved the county’s 2026 budget and property tax levy, which increased by 8.5% over 2025. That’s slightly less than the preliminary figure the board had approved in September.
While the $103 million budget is about $12 million lower than the current budget, the levy increase is largely due to cost shifts from the state, reductions in state grants and county program aid, the 2026 elections and higher personnel costs laid out in negotiated collective bargaining agreements.
While Human Services costs have increased by about 7.5%, county staff has made significant reductions in those areas, anticipating additional cost shifts set to begin in the fourth quarter of 2026. Changes laid out in the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act will increase Minnesota counties’ administrative costs for several programs including SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program).
County Administrator Sara Folsted estimated the impact to the county from that legislation will be an additional $300,000 in 2027.
The 2026 budget includes the use of $2.2 million in reserves that had been set aside for special projects, notably road and bridge improvements, to update scheduling software for the Rice County Sheriff’s Office and for an additional drone to assist deputies with search and rescue operations.
It also includes almost $869,000 in funding for outside agencies including the county’s three public libraries and its senior centers. The only increases in this area were for insurance for the Rice County Historical Society and the Rice Soil & Water Conservation District.
The 2026 property tax levy for the county’s Housing & Redevelopment Authority was also approved Tuesday. That levy will not increase, staying at $232,467 for 2026.
Rich Larson is the General Manager and owner of KYMN Radio. Reach him at rich@kymnradio.net
