Oxford County commissioners will hold a workshop Nov. 18 on a proposed $19.5 million budget for 2026 government and jail operations.

It is scheduled for 6 p.m. at the county courthouse at 26 Western Ave. in Paris.

The proposal represents a 4.7% decrease from this year’s assessment, although there are some unknown costs.

“There will be likely many significant changes throughout the budget process,” county Finance Director Lindsay Kay wrote in an email.

Discussions on proposed items are ongoing, county Administrator Zane Loper said Tuesday.

Commissioners will meet at 9 a.m. Nov. 6, and may discuss the budget along with other items.

Of the $19.5 million proposal, an estimated nearly $14.2 million is for county government and nearly $5.4 million is for the jail.

About $3.8 million in revenues will be used to offset government expenses and nearly $1.2 million will be used to lower jail expenses.

As is, it would mean $10.3 million would be assessed to taxpayers for the county government and $4.2 million for the jail, for a combined estimated tax assessment of $14.5 million.

The largest increase in the budget is in the Sheriff’s Office, about 13%, and the jail, about 1.2%.

Revenue is increasing significantly due to the increase in the county’s state funding allocation, according to Kay and budget information.

There are some big-ticket items for salaries and insurances that have not been finalized, Loper said.

The budget contains everyone’s current salary, except those of unionized employees who have contracts for 2026, Kay said.

There is a placeholder for the insurance increase, “however we have just been informed by the health trust that our policy will increase by 10.2%, versus the placeholder of 7%,” Kay said.

“We’re doing our best to be frugal but the economy is not helping,” Loper said

The Oxford County Budget Advisory Committee reviewed the budget Oct. 21. The committee is made up of nine select board members — three from each of the three commission districts.

Commissioners are: H. Sawin Millett of Waterford for District 1, which includes Fryeburg, Norway, Lovell and Greenwood; Lisa Keim of Dixfield for District 2, representing Bethel, Dixfield, Mexico and Rumford; and Timothy Turner of Buckfield for District 3, which includes Buckfield, Hartford, Paris and West Paris.