Kent County Board of Commissioners Approves
Balanced FY 2027 Budget
Budget maintains essential services, invests in public safety and infrastructure, and supports employee recruitment and retention
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (August 27, 2026) – The Kent County Board of Commissioners today approved a balanced budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 that maintains essential public services, invests in the County’s workforce and infrastructure, and continues Kent County’s tradition of responsible financial management.
The approved budget includes $696.6 million in expenditures across all funds. The structurally balanced General Fund budget totals $265.53 million, a 4.2 percent increase over the FY 2026 adopted budget.
“Strong financial stewardship means carefully balancing the needs of our residents today with our responsibility to plan for the future,” said Kent County Board of Commissioners Chair Ben Greene. “This budget allows us to maintain high-quality services, invest in critical infrastructure and public safety, and protect the County’s long-term financial strength.”
How County Funding Is Used
The FY 2027 budget supports a broad range of services that affect residents throughout Kent County. Major investments across all funds include:
- $143.5 million for public safety, representing 20.6 percent of the budget
- $131.1 million for social services, representing 18.8 percent
- $119.6 million for general government operations, representing 17.2 percent
- $78.9 million for judicial services, representing 11.3 percent
- $71.5 million for public works, representing 10.3 percent
|
The budget also provides funding for recreation and culture, community and economic development, debt service, and other County responsibilities.
The total estimated millage rate used to develop the FY 2027 budget is 5.9349 mills, unchanged from 2026. The budget also includes $9.7 million in Ready by Five Early Childhood Millage funding, as recommended by First Steps Kent, and $18.7 million in Senior Millage funding, as recommended by the Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan.
Investing in Infrastructure and Public Safety
The FY 2027 budget provides $7.92 million in General Fund support for $8.29 million in capital improvement projects. Planned investments include facility enhancements, playground and campground improvements, electronic filing technology to improve court operations, and projects that preserve and enhance green space.
The budget also strengthens public safety by funding the replacement of 42 Sheriff’s Office vehicles and investing $2.7 million in capital and infrastructure projects, including security enhancements at the Kent County Correctional Facility.
In addition, the budget sets aside $2.5 million for future capital needs and $5 million as a placeholder for potential debt payments associated with a new County administration building. Together, these investments bring total General Fund support for the Capital Improvement Program Fund to $15.42 million.
|
Maintaining the Highest Credit Ratings
Kent County maintained its triple-A credit ratings with stable outlooks from both S&P Global Ratings and Moody’s Ratings for the 28th consecutive year. Triple-A is the highest credit rating available and reflects the County’s strong financial management, healthy reserves and ability to meet its long-term financial obligations. The ratings also help the County secure lower borrowing costs, ultimately saving taxpayers money.
|
Supporting Employee Recruitment and Retention
The budget includes a 4 percent general salary increase to help Kent County remain competitive in recruiting and retaining high-quality employees.
It also includes a moratorium on adding positions, maintaining the County’s workforce at approximately 2,082 employees.
“Our employees are the foundation of the services Kent County provides every day,” said Kent County Administrator/Controller Al Vanderberg. “This budget recognizes the importance of retaining our experienced staff and remaining competitive when recruiting talented employees, while also controlling costs and maintaining our current staffing level.”
|
Collaborative Budget Process
Adoption of the FY 2027 budget followed an extensive and collaborative process. The Finance & Infrastructure Committee established budget parameters on February 3, 2026. During the following months, County Administration and the Fiscal Services Department held detailed discussions with department directors and countywide elected officials.
The County Administrator then presented a recommended budget to the Board of Commissioners. Commissioners reviewed the proposal during two work sessions, followed by a public hearing on August 13, 2026.
“I appreciate the thoughtful collaboration of our elected officials, department directors, Fiscal Services staff and Commissioners throughout this process,” Vanderberg said. “Their work allowed us to develop a structurally balanced budget that addresses community needs, maintains essential services and carefully manages costs during a period of economic uncertainty.”
For additional information about Kent County’s FY 2027 budget, click here.
###
|
|
