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KITTITAS COUNTY <br /> BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS <br /> STAFF REPORT FOR <br /> SPECIAL MEETING <br /> Auditor <br /> SPECIAL MEETING DATE: 8-11-2026 <br /> TOPIC: County Road Diversion <br /> ACTION REQUESTED: Review the information presented and determine whether <br /> the Road Fund diversion to the General Fund should be <br /> reinstated. <br /> LEAD STAFF: Zack DeHaven <br /> BRIEFING SUMMARY: <br /> • Washington law authorizes the Board of County Commissioners to divert a portion <br /> of County Road property tax revenues to the General Fund for services provided in <br /> the unincorporated area of the County. (RCW 36.33.220) <br /> • The County has forgone the Road Fund diversion beginning in 2022. The initial <br /> decision was associated with the Emergency Operations Center/Search and Rescue <br /> land transaction and subsequently continued following the failed road levy and <br /> concerns regarding the financial condition of the Road Fund. <br /> • The total amount of calculated Deputy Traffic Expense from 2022 through 2026 <br /> was $1,507,639. <br /> • The Sheriff's Office did not receive a specific budget reduction corresponding to <br /> the forgone diversion; however, as part of the broader General Fund deficit, the <br /> Sheriff's Office has been asked to reduce or constrain budget requests during each of <br /> the last three budget cycles. <br /> • The Road Fund has also implemented significant budget reductions, including <br /> reductions in preventative maintenance, staffing, local projects, bridge repair, and <br /> future capital programming. The phase-out of REET II revenue further reduces <br /> future Road Fund resources. <br /> • Reinstating the diversion would provide additional unrestricted General Fund <br /> capacity while reducing resources available to the Road Fund for maintenance and <br /> capital needs. <br /> Pagel of 3 <br /> Auditor"Special Meeting Staff Report",8/11/2026 <br />