The Bucks County Board of Commissioners approved the 2026 operating budget of $517 million, which includes a 2.2 mills increase in real estate taxes, or about $1.38 per week for the average household. Commissioner Chair Bob Harvie said, “If a budget is a statement of your values, then this year we are making clear that we stand by the people of Bucks County,” noting investments in the Human Services Hub, a new government services center in Lower Bucks, and Bucks County Community College.
The budget comes after a challenging economic period marked by inflation and uncertainty, with the county attributing some difficulties to higher-level government decisions. “While the federal government is playing games with your tax dollars, this Administration remains committed to investing in the things County residents care about the most,” Commissioner Vice Chair Diane Ellis-Marseglia said, according to the Bucks County.
Bucks County used $27 million from its fund balance to maintain services, including mental health support, and to advance $4.6 million for a new community college after a long state budget deadlock and the longest federal government shutdown in U.S. history. An average property tax increase of about $6 per month will help cover costs. The new budget includes a $3 million upgrade to the first responders' radio system and continues funding county services such as aging, mental health, parks, and veterans affairs.
