November 18, 2025
Lake County Board Approves Fiscal Year 2026 Budget
The Lake County Board has approved a $676.6 million budget for its Fiscal Year 2026 (December 1, 2025 – November 30, 2026). The operating funds, those that include most governmental services, are balanced at $390.2 million, a 1% increase over last year.
Although residents receive their property tax bill from Lake County, only about 7% of the total bill actually goes to Lake County government. This means that even with a $3.6 million increase in the County’s levy, its impact on a resident’s overall tax bill will rise by only a few dollars. A homeowner of a $330,000 home is estimated to have a property tax increase of less than $9. The rest of the property tax is distributed to other taxing bodies, primarily local school districts, as well as municipalities, townships, fire protection districts, park districts and others.
The County budget supports the departments and programs residents rely on every day, from law enforcement and the court system to health programs, employment and job training services and more. It also includes more than $100 million for infrastructure improvements. In 2026, projects like the Russell Road roundabouts, drainage improvements in the Carillion North Subdivision and critical upgrades to three Lake County Public Works wastewater treatment plants will move forward.
This year, the County Board also evaluated and approved several new program requests. These include replacing outdated public safety radios that will improve emergency and disaster response communications between local, state and federal agencies; several new positions, including a new building and code inspector, a social worker in the Public Defender’s Office and a Grant Coordinator in the Finance Department; and an upgrade of the County Clerk’s Voter Tabulation System that enhances voter accessibility and security standards.
The budget is structured to advance the goals outlined in Lake County’s Strategic Plan, directing resources toward public safety, community health, infrastructure modernization, sustainability, economic opportunities and operational excellence.
“The Lake County budget continues to deliver high-quality services while making intentional investments that advance our Strategic Plan,” said Sandy Hart, Lake County Board Chair. “Guided by strong financial policies, the Board approved a balanced budget that supports the plan's long-term priorities.”
“I want to congratulate my County Board colleagues, along with the outstanding leadership of our county administration and finance department, for producing a budget that balances investments in our services and facilities with a reasonable, minimal tax increase," said Paul Frank, Lake County Financial and Administrative Committee Chair. “Lake County taxpayers can take pride in the transparent, deliberative process that shaped this budget."
Lake County has once again earned national recognition for excellence, receiving the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award from the Government Finance Officers Association for its 2025 Budget, the 13th time the County has earned this honor. The 2026 budget will be submitted for consideration.
“Every department and agency has played a vital role in the financial stability of Lake County through a shared commitment to providing outstanding services to the residents, while preserving County resources,” said County Administrator Patrice Sutton. “Our budget process encouraged collaborative approaches, a focus on efficiency and a shared sense of responsibility and ownership to produce a thoughtful and strategic budget.”
The 2026 Budget is available to review at lakecountyil.gov/Budget.
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