With revenue streaming in from the 0.5% sales tax voters approved in November 2024, Summit County’s budget is larger than ever before.
The county council passed the $100.6 million 2026 budget unanimously Dec. 10.
It includes a raise for councilmembers, from $61,000 to $70,000 per year. Councilmember Cancie Harte missed the salary discussion, but all his colleagues were in agreement about the increase.
“It sounds self-serving, and maybe it is a little bit, but really I'm looking at this as future people on this council, and what might that council look like,” Councilmember Tonja Hanson said. “And frankly, I don't want this council to be made up of wealthy people who just don't need the money, and they're just doing it because it's a hobby, or whatever. I want it to be people who live in our community, who understand people's challenges.”
Councilmember Megan McKenna said she spoke from personal experience, since she’s substitute teaching on the side to make ends meet.
“This first year, it's been really challenging in this schedule to supplement my income, and so as someone who lives paycheck to paycheck, and who has my entire adult life, this has been a challenging year financially,” said McKenna, who formerly worked for a nonprofit. “I'm in more debt at the end of this year than I started with.”
Hanson said she’s nearing 40 hours of council-related work per week, even though the job is considered part-time. The median income for a single person in Summit County is $118,000.
Separate from the salary discussion, Councilmember Roger Armstrong has repeatedly asked staff for a smaller budget in 2027. He called the $100.6 million number “extraordinary” Dec. 10.
Summit County is a financial supporter of KPCW.
