VALDOSTA — The Lowndes County government expects to pay less for health insurance and maintenance bills under a budget that was unanimously approved June 30 by the Board of Commissioners.

The board discussed and adopted the budget for the Lowndes County 2026 fiscal year. This budget – which includes the budget for funding on public services, taxes, and certain city amenities – was unanimously approved by all present members of the Board of Commissioners.

The budget has seen a total of 5% growth since the 2025 budget was approved, with a total of just under $74 million. Out of the $74 million, $19.3 million is going towards special revenue funds, $41.7 million towards capital project funds, $13.9 million towards enterprise funds and $16.7 million towards internal service funds.

Health insurance has had a -6.82% change in many places on the budget, meaning insurance fees are getting cheaper for those affected. 6.82% is the most common decrease, though some areas have forecasted up to 17% decreases.

“Each year, budget requests are funded based on need for that budget cycle,” Meghan Barwick, the Public Information Officer for Lowndes County, said. “This is a normal fluctuation based on need. The reason for the consistent 6.82% decrease is because the rates per employee were adjusted based on current needs.”

Property taxes also got a 2.94% decrease overall, with a requested $25.5 million revenue expected according to the budget chart for the 2026 fiscal year.

Finally, vehicle taxes are getting less expensive; motorists can expect a 14.29% decrease, with the proposed revenue at $200,000.

However, local sales and use taxes are going up by 11.27% from last year, with a proposed $19.75 million revenue from sales and use tax. This would be an over $6 million leap in revenue compared to last fiscal year. 

In total, the city budget has proposed a $169 million revenue total by next fiscal year, and a $165.6 million expenditure budget by the same time. This would put the city’s proposed net fund at $3.4 million.