“This is by far the hardest budget I’ve had to put together.”
The Gloucester County Board of Supervisors met Monday evening in the colonial courthouse to hear County Administrator Carol Steele’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2026, which includes a general fund expenditure of roughly $88 million (2 percent higher than FY25 amended budget) and a tax increase of 4.3 cents.
“There is no perfect answer,” said Steele at the beginning of her presentation. “There is no pleasing everybody.”
The FY26 proposed budget provides for the following:
—A 3 percent cost-of-living adjustment for county employees, partially state-funded ($837,907);
—An additional 6 percent state-funded increase for dispatchers ($51,115);
—One new position in the Gloucester County Sheriff’s Office ($93,741);
—Partial implementation of recommendations of a salary study ($690,000);
—Selective staff career ladder increases ($73,311);
—Health insurance increase of 12.5 percent ($634,714); and
—Increase in compensation for the...