Preliminary budget figures higher than last year
By Kate Danna
Friday, September 24, 2026

ALBION — While officials won’t say whether they will raise county taxes or cut positions or services, two things are certain.

Department heads are asking for more than they did last year and so are insurance companies.

Although the county Legislature won’t meet with department heads until a three-day meeting in mid October, Chairwoman Marcia Tuohey said it’s already apparent that they’re asking for more than what was budgeted last year.

It also appears that county lawmakers will have to factor in a 7 percent to 11 percent increase in health insurance costs, said Stan Dudek, chief administrative officer. The county previously bad budgeted $2.8 million out of a $54 million budget for health insurance, but increased costs handed down by the insurance companies could mean Orleans residents footing the bill for $196,000 to $308,000 more to cover health insurance costs next year.

Some changes will be imminent, Dudek said, while not forgetting what needs to be done locally.

“There will be some changes made so the requests will undoubtedly be reduced,” Dudek said. “The problem is that you still have to make commitments to repairing infrastructure.”

Tuohey and Dudek said it is too early to tell how these changes will affect county taxpayers.

“We have to keep the taxpayers in mind when we do the budget because they’re the ones who are affected,” Tuohey said. “They’re uppermost in my mind as far as what they can afford.”

On the other hand some aspects of the budget, which were a thorn in legislators sides last year, may be decreasing from the 2004 budget.

“State retirement costs look like they’re going down for next year,” Dudek said.
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