La Crosse County's debt is down, while its reserves remained healthy.
La Crosse County ended 2025 in a strong financial position, with a $24.8 million general fund balance and a 12% reduction in debt (from $59.1 million to $51.8 million).
The $24.8 million reserve equals about half of the County’s annual general fund spending. County policy requires minimum reserves of between 25% and 50% of annual general fund expenditures to ensure a healthy rainy‑day fund. The reserve is also used to fund capital and other non-recurring expenditures.
County debt, which comes from major infrastructure projects like buildings and highways, has dropped by about one‑third since 2020. At the same time, the County invested $30.7 million in capital projects last year, including $12.5 million for highways and $12.7 million in renovations at Hillview.
Director of Finance Lanae Nickelotti shared these updates with the County Board’s Executive Committee earlier this month. She also reported that department budgets are on track for 2026, while noting rising gasoline prices (up 35–50% since April) and increasing employee health care costs as areas to watch.