WASHINGTON COUNTY APPROVED BUDGET
FY 2026
Decisions regarding the use of debt are based on a number of factors including, but not limited to, the long- term needs of the County and the amount of resources available to repay the debt. Flexibility is required to enable the County’s management team to respond to unforeseen emergencies or o pportunities in the operational budget. In order to provide for that flexibility, the most important ratio - Debt Service as a Percent of Revenue - is included in the analysis. Comparing debt ratios of the Peer Group and national medians is useful in evaluating the County’s debt position. Evaluating the change in ranking over time also indicates a strengthening or weakening of the County’s debt position relative to the Peer Group and to national averages. Following is a five- year comparison of the County’s debt ratios for the tax -supported debt portion.
Ratio and Peer Group Median Comparisons
Debt Service as a % of General Fund Revenue
Debt Service per Capita as a % of Income Per Capita
Debt as a Percent of FMV
Debt Per Capita
Fiscal Year
Peer Group Median
Peer Group Median
Peer Group Median
Peer Group Median
County Amount
County Ratio
County Ratio
County Ratio
2021
948
1,623
1.09%
1.34%
5.13%
7.42%
0.18%
0.30%
2022
922
1,669
1.07%
1.56%
5.18%
6.66%
0.17%
0.26%
2023
921
1,680
1.01%
1.42%
5.28%
7.01%
0.17%
0.28%
2024
931
1,828
0.99%
1.27%
5.03%
7.22%
0.17%
0.25%
2025 estimated
1,013
1,828
0.97%
1.27%
5.94%
7.22%
0.18%
0.25%
Policy
1,500
1.50%
8.00%
0.50%
When the County compares its debt ratios to its peer group and national medians, it provides a snapshot of our debt position at a single point in time. However, to fully understand the County’s debt position, it is important to evaluate ratios over a long period of time so that trends can be ascertained, analyzed, and evaluated. In completing the debt affordability analysis, the estimated debt capacity ceiling is established, and policy guidelines are applied to the debt capacity calculations. The ratio of Debt Service as a Percentage of Revenue is considered the most critical criteria in establishing debt capacity, in part, because the County controls both components of the ratio and the impact of the change is most pronounced in the operating budget and potentially the tax burden carried by the citizens. Projections are based on net tax-supported debt currently outstanding plus average debt that is anticipated to be issued over the next 20 years. The projections are intended only to provide a method for assessing the impact of issuing more debt. The County’s debt affordability analysis is designed to: ensure that anticipated future debt is manageable from a fiscal and budgetary perspective; meet peer group ratio targets and avoid negative treatment by the rating agencies in the form of a rating downgrade; and keep borrowing costs to a minimum. The following table illustrates the impact of long-term debt issuance as it relates to various Peer Group targets that the County monitors.
2026 Budget Document
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