[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6641900,"mediaKeyId","3462690-a612778d9a59d00b199865d11485b21b","parentId",3462690,"title","Commissioners weigh boosting Long-Time Homeowners Assistance as revaluation raises tax burdens","audioSeconds",1229,"startMs",2918515,"endMs",4147765,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3462690-a612778d9a59d00b199865d11485b21b&start=2918&end=4147","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3462690-a612778d9a59d00b199865d11485b21b/thumbnail_2918515.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6641900/Orange-County/North-Carolina/Commissioners-weigh-boosting-Long-Time-Homeowners-Assistance-as-revaluation-raises-tax-burdens","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6641900-9b696471a264c70a7669b348efb0f853/orig.mp4?Expires=1775999962&Signature=eQs4-QhYOJc~ILhkckYmhm~d6FUFOFnkGOZRLokd8621hWto~jj8ssNNdPZVCtfBXOcPz2zvL-5HOg~JTT0gKyREW~UIvJhxgQPAxL1Ea7SgUn81wVheB1OqKgi2wlKa0Lk7Y3QCVVxFIe1qFZG7Drq-uLuQWBqo-KUQ8iHzAChflYgGyH9rmUkCyvz9JaxpVDjM6eFdV~jSEIfo~yL6NGWrpU96UJGMrgSdNuBNBs8sXa4dI0VFBCtjyIDddUfl7aD3ylyxU2Hav1FuI7zOBSnejmGOhy3XtjMM4yolfGfkunWz~CTY600cBQqebDFmHHKtQzLqRrprxHfNbFIWEQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Orange County","date","2025-05-22T00:00:00Z","article","Orange County staff and commissioners spent a substantive portion of the May 22 budget work session on the Long-Time Homeowners Assistance Program (LTHA), reviewing modeling of last year's applicants and considering amendments to help homeowners facing larger tax bills after the revaluation.

Kirk, housing staff, said the county added $24,000 to the LTHA in the manager's recommended budget and reallocated funding to increase emergency housing assistance. He presented analysis of last year's applicant cohort and said pre-appeal assessed values for that group rose about 59 percent from the prior year — a level higher than the county average. Based on that cohort, Kirk said the average homeowner in the cohort would see about a 16 percent increase in tax burden under revenue-neutral rates and about a 22 percent increase under the manager's recommended budget.

Kirk explained that program benefits are shared among applicants, so the number of applicants affects the per-household award. He said last year's county award produced an average post-award tax reduction of about 25 percent for recipients; restoring that level of post-award relief for the same cohort in the current year would require substantially more funding. Kirk presented funding scenarios that showed different per-household averages at varying budget levels; staff noted the manager's recommended LTHA allocation was approximately $274,000 and that a more generous scenario would require roughly $501,000 to achieve higher per-household relief for the same cohort.

Commissioners expressed concerns about consistency for households who previously received awards. “If I was a homeowner and Id applied to this program because I am struggling to pay my property tax, that one thing I really want is consistency,” said Commissioner Jean Minearo, who urged the board to consider the homeowner view when evaluating program rule changes. Commissioner Earl said he opposed narrowing eligibility in a way that would make people eligible last year ineligible this year.

Others encouraged a modest budget amendment to increase funding for LTHA for the current cycle. Chair Bedford and other commissioners asked staff to draft a proposed tentative budget amendment so the public could see options before the board's intent-to-adopt and public-hearing steps. Kirk and staff said the final award per household would depend on the number of applicants and the program rules the board adopts.

The board did not change program rules at the session; commissioners asked staff for modeling and proposed amendment language to consider before formal votes.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Orange County - BOCC Budget Work Session 20250522 - May 22, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Orange County staff told commissioners Tuesday that long-time homeowners in last years assistance cohort saw assessed values jump about 59 percent pre-appeal, and that the manager's recommended budget would raise average tax burdens for that cohort by roughly 22 percent.","taxTitle","Orange County, North Carolina","taxId",3848,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6641904,"Orange County manager recommends 2.95¢ tax hike over revenue neutral as revaluation boosts tax base",3722,960820,4683315,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3462690-a612778d9a59d00b199865d11485b21b&start=960&end=4683","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3462690-a612778d9a59d00b199865d11485b21b/thumbnail_960820.jpg","/articles/6641904/Orange-County/North-Carolina/Orange-County-manager-recommends-295-tax-hike-over-revenue-neutral-as-revaluation-boosts-tax-base","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6641904-fc3e3f7b72acb28ee2232b7c5dd2b525/orig.mp4?Expires=1775999963&Signature=EXstLCzfQABemO86yr9at6~pmzJApn6p1u-j3hj2Wp0pLyUTiHzuvt8-62j2qufXijt0gWur35GEiUZE7hHOgJx9q2uALD29iSjso-EqJwv1Fix8Nf64W1tSFII7tslwaCnfDsWsTyNxQXAdu3esdNnEg2sl45ZCbjt9gLI-jDNidtc3BMIjWecU65aFEzF28r3aeW0OXhKf-FOr5ndlDaDFZxQb1yT1MP9Ht-3SkpqcR3bC-khHrPL8-8IwobkzJIXSQxDMB-9P6aL3nRpL06qM~cxjDFX3LaqtoKeZ18a4jF2wg9C4KKFtrIOwhG4m6enHt7qM8SitvxDsEJ5brA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At a May 22 budget work session, Orange County staff presented the manager's recommended budget, which includes a proposed tax-rate increase of 2.95 cents over the revenue-neutral rate following a countywide revaluation that drove the tax base higher.

Travis, county budget staff, told commissioners that the county's tax base climbed to about $33 billion after the revaluation. “The manager's recommended budget does include a recommended tax increase of 2.95¢ over revenue neutral,” Travis said during the presentation. Staff showed historical tax-base charts and projected revenue impacts of the revaluation.

The recommended budget includes a 2 percent across-the-board pay increase for county employees, which staff estimated would cost about $1.8 million. The county also plans to absorb increased retirement contributions (about $145,000) and higher health-insurance costs (about $1.3 million) without changing employee health-plan rates. The manager's presentation kept the county's sales-tax projection flat for the coming year amid economic uncertainty.

Staff highlighted several program-level changes: juvenile-detention costs have fallen substantially, with year-to-date juvenile-stay payments around $26,850 compared with $184,500 in the prior comparable period; the Community Care and Diversion Response Team's clinical coordinator position is moved to opioid-settlement funding; and Alliance-contracted health services and other human-services positions and contracts were summarized.

The county also reviewed opioid-settlement funding, which staff said would total roughly $13 million over an 18-year schedule, with about $1.9 million expected this fiscal year. “The county is expected to receive a little over almost $13,000,000 over an 18 year period. This coming year, we'll get about $1.9 million,” Travis said, and presenters showed how prior awards and previously approved projects factor into multiyear planning.

Commissioners used the session to clarify program details and the budget schedule. Chair Bedford told colleagues that budget amendments are due next Wednesday and noted the board's intent-to-adopt and public-hearing schedule, so any proposals should be posted promptly for public review. Several commissioners asked for more detail on specific departmental items, including the aging department's takeaway-meal program (proposed to end Aug. 31), library and housing allocations, and planned capital improvements.

No formal votes occurred at the work session; staff will incorporate any approved amendments into the tentative budget and return to the board for the advertised public hearing and subsequent adoption steps.","Orange County's manager recommended a 2.95-cent tax increase above the revenue-neutral rate at a May 22 work session after a revaluation that enlarged the county tax base to about $33 billion.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6641908,"Orange County fire districts ask commissioners to approve tax-rate increases to sustain staffing and equipment",864,33520,897825,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3462690-a612778d9a59d00b199865d11485b21b&start=33&end=897","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3462690-a612778d9a59d00b199865d11485b21b/thumbnail_33520.jpg","/articles/6641908/Orange-County/North-Carolina/Orange-County-fire-districts-ask-commissioners-to-approve-tax-rate-increases-to-sustain-staffing-and-equipment","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6641908-68b683181069742117a319ef53210138/orig.mp4?Expires=1775999963&Signature=kIq8YlY8Q0EXPGTl4MS3H14alVtiN5BxfP8NY1AmpDnfSpuazl2yzghoUxsGF1kgTv4kFAQsr42Jf~4E5p6iJFuhI3oYT8JyBMaugjMpdTFgDMXrBcXmElU5L4AahaqSPphEK-hI3kHR0cVSa15Qmt9SG9wf2ljKQ0-CK6c0JSO4HVIeaCVrvnUpH1oSN2kpoVtUSCApHgj6W05dq~hKELexvalvMaVswiD6oZ7KhhSuX7qf425Byb8fuYFsZXcFsQZkXKFwsI0icxshDQyI6Ja2PnzWmlrZSrMeVzkSBzo2aG~Opbggtf74DW4cv2I7fDtLnPLDKFsh3fOD-8cOew__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Orange County commissioners heard Tuesday that 10 of the county's 12 fire districts have requested tax-rate increases above the revenue-neutral level, a package of requests that officials said would generate about $1.7 million.

County budget staff displayed a map and table showing each district's request, the revenue-neutral rate and estimated impacts on homeowners. White Cross Fire District asked for the largest single increase — about 3.7 cents above revenue neutral — while other districts sought smaller increases (Cedar Grove 1 cent; Chapel Hill about 0.7 cents; New Hope 2.35 cents; Orange Rural 1 cent; Orange Grove 1.19 cents; South Orange Grove 1.5 cents). The presentation noted the calculations used a $400,000 home as an example.

The requests were driven mostly by rising personnel costs, higher maintenance and apparatus expenses, and changes in planned financing. “The custom USDA funding we were gonna use for the apparatus...we now have to do conventional routes for financing, and our debt services are wrapped in, obviously, to our tax rate,” said Bill, chief of White Cross Volunteer Fire Department, describing a mix of debt-service and staffing needs. Bill said roughly one-third of White Cross's request is for debt service, one-third for personnel and the remainder for inflation-driven maintenance costs.

Bill and other department leaders warned that without the additional revenue the primary cuts would be to staffing. “If we're not funded, the only place we really can cut in White Cross is actually staffing,” Bill said. He described current coverage of two people around the clock — “which equates over about 16,000 hours of pay coverage” — and warned staffing reductions would lower the district's Insurance Services Office (ISO) rating and lengthen response times. Bill said his calculations show a one-point change in ISO could raise insurance costs roughly 16 percent, and a larger change could be substantially higher.

Jeff Cave, fire chief at Orange Rural, walked commissioners through how ISO and insurer classifications affect homeowners. “That evaluation includes the 911 center...the closeness to the fire stations, how much training you've got, how many firefighters you have on the average alarm...and all of those roll into a 100 scale,” Cave said, noting Orange County districts typically fall in classes three, four and five. He added that an ISO classification of 10 is treated as unprotected by insurers.

Chiefs and board representatives also outlined pay pressures. One speaker said part-time start rates across departments were in the $14–$17 per hour range and that requested increases would move some roles into an $18–$22 range. A speaker describing a full-time paid department said starting annual salary there was about $35,000 while nearby employers pay $45,000–$55,000 for comparable roles.

Commissioners asked how not approving full requests would affect service; chiefs repeated that personnel cuts were the most likely outcome. Commissioners also framed the requests against the countywide property revaluation, with concerns that lower-income residents will face large tax increases regardless of any district-level changes.

The panel concluded its discussion after public acknowledgment of the districts' public-safety role and moved on to other budget items. No formal vote on the district requests took place during the session.","At a May 22 budget work session, Orange County fire chiefs and board members asked commissioners to approve property tax-rate increases across multiple fire districts, saying the funds are needed to cover rising personnel and equipment costs and to avoid cuts that would affect response times and insurance ratings.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Commissioners weigh boosting Long-Time Homeowners Assistance as revaluation raises tax burdens

Orange County manager recommends 2.95¢ tax hike over revenue neutral as revaluation boosts tax base

Orange County fire districts ask commissioners to approve tax-rate increases to sustain staffing and equipment