(Richland PIO) – Richland County Council approved the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025-2026 budget after a third reading during its regularly scheduled Council meeting June 17. The adopted budget of $1,457,108,024, including the General Fund budget of $255,990,925, went into effect July 1.
The FY 2025-2026 budget reflects an increase of $16,387,917 from FY 2024-2025. This increase supports the General Fund and a special focus on maintaining high-quality public services, providing support for local school districts, and continuing investment in infrastructure to sustain economic growth and job creation.
Other highlights of the General Fund include:
- Sustaining quality public safety services by investing in law enforcement, emergency medical services, emergency management, and other public safety departments
- Promoting employee retention by continuing the County’s performance-based step program for qualifying employees
- Investing in improvements to County facilities to better serve residents, including upgrades to Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center, the Sheriff’s Department headquarters, and the County’s Judicial Center, Coroner’s Office, and Emergency Services facility
- Investing in information technology initiatives to provide residents real-time access to information, and to improve online bill-pay options and other business services via website or mobile applications
“This new budget is not about keeping the lights on – it’s about lighting the way forward. This fiscal year’s budget provides the funding we need today to grow services that meet tomorrow’s demands and strengthen every neighborhood’s quality of life,” said County Council Chairwoman Jesica Mackey.
Richland County has the third-largest population in the state after Greenville and Charleston counties. In addition to supporting residential and economic growth, the County is committed to meeting and enhancing the needs of residents through good governance.
“Responsible stewardship and transparency are foundational principles that guide the management of our budget, which allows us to deliver the essential services Richland County residents depend on every day,” County Administrator Leonardo Brown said.
The County’s full budget, including the Debt Service Fund and Enterprise Funds, are detailed on the County’s website.