LISBON –Columbiana County commissioners built a cushion into their budget for next year, appropriating more in the general fund for 2026 than what was approved for 2025, but without touching $2.7 million of the expected income certified for spending next year.

“We had a very good year,” Commissioner Mike Halleck said. “We should be able to end the current year with a healthy carryover, or appropriate carryover.”

On Wednesday, the commissioners appropriated $24,145,120 for the 2026 general fund, which is used to fund most of the county operations, including all the courts, the sheriff, prosecutor, treasurer, auditor, recorder, housing of prisoners, probation, indigent criminal defense, commissioners, veterans services and board of elections.

That’s an increase of more than $1 million from the $23,096,694 initially approved for this year’s appropriations.

The Columbiana County Budget Commission certified $26,900,000 of expected income for the general fund for 2026.

Most of the county offices received more money for next year, with the exception of the Clerk of Courts, which requested less.

“Everybody should be happy,” Halleck said.

The financial picture for the general fund at this time last year was a lot murkier after the first attempt to get the 1% sales tax renewed failed miserably. There was a lot of uncertainty in the air, but in the spring, voters agreed to renew the 1% sales tax, ensuring full funding for the general fund, which relies heavily on the sales tax.

The commissioners remain thankful for the outcome of that spring election.

“We owe it to the citizens of this county who supported the sales tax. Without their vote, we would be in dire straits,” Halleck said.

Last year, the 1% sales tax receipts totaled $14,468,375 and the .5% sales tax receipts totaled $7,234,684 for a total of more than $21.7 million. The estimate for next year is at least $1 million higher. Halleck previously indicated in July that the commissioners would not appropriate the entire $26.9 million. While the appropriations for offices were higher than this year’s totals in most cases, the overall total was still less than the $27.1 million requested by officeholders.

For 2026, the highest number on the list for the general fund belonged to the sheriff’s office at $4,630,500, an increase of more than $2 million from this year’s original appropriation. Next was housing of prisoners at $4,429,000, an increase of $1 million from this year. The prosecutor’s office received $1,896,189, Common Pleas Court received $1,180,760 and county Municipal Court received $1,003,520. The Veterans Service Commission received a little more with $1,267,300. Soil and Water Conservation received $80,000 and the mandated share for the county Department of Job and Family Services was $209,177.

Here are a some of the other amounts appropriated for 2026:

–commissioners, $643,615

— commissioners maintenance, $716,508

— auditor, $354,233

— auditor personal property, $55,566

— auditor weights and measures, $35,000

— auditor GIS program, $110,250

— auditor data processing, $150,000

— board of elections, $721,443

— treasurer, $393,586

— juvenile court, $611,961

— juvenile probation, $316,240

— probate court, $373,430

— common pleas court security, $65,597

— adult probation, $446,090

— county coroner, $350,000

— development department, $100,769

— recorder, $310,000

— criminal defense (indigent), $800,000

— multi county juvenile attention system, $798,4970