Mercer County Passes $431M Budget, Up Nearly 7% From Last Year

HOPEWELL, NJ — The Mercer County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to adopt the 2026 county budget, which totals $431,042,977 — a 6.81% increase over the prior year, excluding grants.

County Executive Dan Benson introduced the spending plan in late March, and his administration worked with the board to finalize it in May. Officials said the budget contends with significant cuts to federal funding while continuing to invest in county services.

Property tax bills in Hopewell Township, Pennington, and across Mercer County include a county portion that reflects the adopted budget.

"Since taking office, our Administration has cleaned up the County's finances and achieved fiscally responsible budgets that still protect critical services," Benson said. "Although we continue to face significant budget pressures, from Federal cuts to rising healthcare costs, Mercer County's financial outlook is much brighter than it was three years ago, allowing us to invest in our residents and our future."

Commissioner Chair Terrance Stokes said the board prioritized efficiency throughout the process. "Throughout our budget process we focused on ways to make our government more efficient, allowing us to continue to care for our most vulnerable residents, while remaining responsible stewards of taxpayer money."

Commissioner Vice-Chair Cathleen Lewis acknowledged the difficult choices involved. "Budgets always involve some tough tradeoffs, but I believe that our 2026 budget strikes the right balance between meeting our residents' needs, protecting our taxpayers, and investing in our future."

The full adopted budget is available at mercercounty.org.

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