Dallas County Commission approves $34.8 million budget for 2026 fiscal year

The Dallas County Commission approved a $34.8 million budget for the fiscal year that starts Oct. 1.  

General fund calls for $18.6 million in revenue and $20 million in expenditures.  

The budget for Engineering and Roads has $7.5 million in revenue and $9.8 million in expenditures. Other funds are listed at $5.2 million in revenue and $5 million in expenditures.  

The total budget calls for $31.3 million in revenue and expenditures of $34.8 million.  

Fiscal year 2026 excess revenue over or under expenditures as of Oct. 30, 2026 is $3,552,133. The projected ending fund balance for all funds on Oct. 30, 2026 is $6,843,924. 

The budget includes a $1 an hour across-the-board pay increase for all county employees, which will cost the county slightly over $474,000, County Administrator Barbara Harrell told the commission at their Sept. 8 meeting. The budget also includes a one-time lump sum payment of $600 for full-time employees and $200 for part-time employees.  

“We do have a balanced budget, a $34.8 million balanced budget,” Commission President and Probate Judge Jimmy Nunn said. “We still have to watch how we spend money in Dallas County because our expenditures are more than our income.” 

Before they voted on the budget, the commission approved a procedure that allows them to abstain from voting on individual line items that would create a conflict of interest and still vote on the rest of the budget. Any potential conflicts will be revealed to County Attorney John Kelly.  

“This resolution allows commissioners to abstain from line items, but to still vote on the approval of the overall budget,” Kelly said.  

Nunn commended Harrell and accountant Marcella Reed for their work on the budget.