The story
Your Observer reported the County Commission gave first approval to a $2.52 billion budget, with Commissioner Tom Knight the lone dissent and about $23 million pulled from reserves to balance it. Commissioner Mark Smith — who won his seat by 373 votes — voted yes, consistent with a record of zero no votes on any budget or bond. Across 712 spending, debt, and tax measures, the ledger shows Smith with zero no votes and Neunder with two. Officials promised discipline; the record shows a record budget approved while leaning on reserves — part of the $876 million in new spending and debt added in three years, about $7,189 per family of four.
From Your Observer's reporting
Your Observer reported the commission's first approval of the roughly $2.52 billion budget was nearly unanimous, with one commissioner opposed and reserves tapped to close the gap.
Key quotes
“To me, this is a dangerous precedent”
By the numbers
The FY2026 budget — $2.52 billion, the largest in the county's modern record (FY2020–FY2026 documents examined) — was adopted 4-1 at the tentative hearing and 3-1 at the final hearing, over Commissioner Knight's lone dissent.
The biggest budget in the modern record passed over the only 'no' in the room.
The record FY2026 budget passed 4-1 at the September 10, 2025 tentative hearing and 3-1 at the September 24, 2025 final hearing (one commissioner absent) — Knight the lone dissent both times.
Five commissioners. Only one ever voted no.
Across all county funds, the reserve ratio fell from 116% of annual spending (FY2024) to 89% (FY2025) — and the FY2026 budget appropriates $41.7 million from the General Fund's reserves.
While spending hit records, they tapped the savings to pay for it.
Across every record budget and every bond issuance from FY2022 through FY2025 — through a 48% spending surge and a 76% debt increase — the record shows no budget or bond dissent from either commissioner.
Not one vote against a budget or a bond.