HANCOCK COUNTY, W.Va. — Hancock County Commissioners have announced significant budget cuts to address a $2.1 million gap in the county’s fiscal year 2026 budget.
The shortfall is primarily attributed to the end of video lottery funding two years ago, combined with the revenue losses resulting from the Cleveland Cliffs shutdown.
Commissioners explained that the West Virginia Legislature was expected to restore the lost funding, but as of now, no reimbursement has been received.
Historically, video lottery funding contributed up to $1 million annually to the county’s revenues. With the elimination of this revenue stream, Hancock County was forced to rely on its rainy day fund, which has been reduced from $3 million to $1 million over the past two years. In response, commissioners have now set a $1 million minimum threshold for the rainy day fund to help ensure future fiscal stability.
The county’s projected revenue for 2026 stands at $9.9 million, making it imperative to enact budget cuts to avoid depleting essential reserves. Among the planned reductions is a decrease in the sheriff’s department’s share of the budget, which is set to drop from 36% to 32%.
The commission will continue to work through the details of the proposed cuts.
