St. Joseph County Leaders Begin 2027 Budget Process

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- St. Joseph County Council began a series of budget discussions today, reviewing funding priorities and challenges ahead of finalizing next year's spending plan.
Leaders say their goal is to pass a balanced budget, even as rising costs and the state's recent property tax relief law puts pressure on county finances.
St. Joseph County Council president Bryan Tanner says the 2027 budget focuses on infrastructure, public safety and quality-of-place projects, particularly public green spaces and parks. 
"I think one of the biggest things that we've prioritized the last several years, and we'll continue this year, is to pass a balanced budget. We're not going to spend more money than what we expect to receive," Tanner said.
Tanner says financial challenges, including state legislation such as Senate Enrolled Act 1, are affecting county revenue.
The law, passed in 2025, provides $1.3 billion in property tax relief to Indiana homeowners over three years.
He says rising costs are also making it more difficult to fund county services. Everything from road paving to public health programs, including vaccinations, costs more than it did last year.
The biggest challenges that we have are the need and desire to compensate our people fairly at a time when we are seeing undue pressure from the state legislature and changes via acts like Senate Enrolled Act 1 that put some downward pressure on our revenue," Tanner said.
According to Tanner, St. Joseph County has already reduced its property tax rate by about 14% over the past five years.
Certainly, we're looking at a focus on departments, those departments' operating expenses, and effectively trying to serve the community in the way that those departments traditionally have," Tanner said.
Today marked the first of four scheduled budget meetings. County leaders will continue reviewing funding requests through July.
St. Joseph County Council began a series of budget discussions today, reviewing funding priorities and challenges ahead of finalizing next year's spending plan.
Leaders say their goal is to pass a balanced budget, even as rising costs and the state's recent property tax relief law puts pressure on county finances.
St. Joseph County Council president Bryan Tanner says the 2027 budget focuses on infrastructure, public safety and quality-of-place projects, particularly public green spaces and parks. 
"I think one of the biggest things that we've prioritized the last several years, and we'll continue this year, is to pass a balanced budget. We're not going to spend more money than what we expect to receive," Tanner said.
Tanner says financial challenges, including state legislation such as Senate Enrolled Act 1, are affecting county revenue.
The law, passed in 2025, provides $1.3 billion in property tax relief to Indiana homeowners over three years.
He says rising costs are also making it more difficult to fund county services. Everything from road paving to public health programs, including vaccinations, costs more than it did last year.
The biggest challenges that we have are the need and desire to compensate our people fairly at a time when we are seeing undue pressure from the state legislature and changes via acts like Senate Enrolled Act 1 that put some downward pressure on our revenue," Tanner said.
According to Tanner, St. Joseph County has already reduced its property tax rate by about 14% over the past five years.
Certainly, we're looking at a focus on departments, those departments' operating expenses, and effectively trying to serve the community in the way that those departments traditionally have," Tanner said.
Today marked the first of four scheduled budget meetings. County leaders will continue reviewing funding requests through July.