Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the County Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Southampton County adopts FY2026 budget with no tax-rate increase; spending up about $4.2 million
Summary
The Board approved the fiscal 2026 budget and associated ordinances May 27 after public hearings and work sessions. County officials said the budget increases include one-time capital and planning items; the board also adopted related tax-relief and fee ordinances.
The Southampton County Board of Supervisors on May 27 adopted the county's fiscal 2026 budget and several linked ordinances after public hearings and budget work sessions.
The adopted budget increases county spending by roughly $4.2 million compared with the prior year; county officials said the board kept the tax rate unchanged. County staff told the board the general fund remains on target: revenue collections through April were about 98.04% of the budgeted amount and expenditures are tracking below last year's pace.
Why it matters: the budget frames county services and capital work for the coming year and includes several one-time investments the board intentionally funded now rather than deferring.
Board members and staff said several increases were deliberate, including capital and planning work that officials said was cheaper to perform now than to delay. The administrator listed ongoing and one-time items: courthouse and radio projects, studies tied to water-supply planning, and a compensation study to address pay and stipends for certain public-safety staff. "There were various things in there," the county administrator told the board, noting the radio and water projects as work in progress.
Public commenters at the meeting offered both praise and criticism of the spending mix. Resident Warren Simmons said the budget increased overall spending by $4,226,397 and voiced concern that carryover and assessment-driven revenue should have been returned to taxpayers; he cited county revenue line items while urging a lower tax rate. The board and staff responded that some increases fund one-time investments and previously appropriated funds were reallocated to cover capital and operating needs.
The board also approved several related appropriation resolutions during the meeting, including school fund and project funds; it adopted the capital-improvement plan, the tax-rate ordinance and the fee ordinance that accompany the budget. County staff said the appropriations include grants and project reimbursements already received or expected.
Ending: Officials said they would place the approved budget documents on the county website and publish the final figures. Staff will continue to update the board on large capital projects, including the radio replacement and water-supply planning work.
