Alexander County adopts $60.59 million budget, holds property tax rate steady

The Alexander County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously at its June meeting to adopt the fiscal 2025–26 budget, approving a $60,586,611 general fund and keeping the county's property tax rate unchanged.

Finance Director Jennifer Herman presented the budget and its major line items, saying, "It's $60,586,611." She told the board the general fund revenues are dominated by property taxes (44%) and sales taxes (23%), with state and federal grants and other revenues making up the remainder.

The budget papered in separate fund totals: an opioid settlement fund of $364,582; a revaluation fund of $334,706; a solid waste fund budget of $2,903,854; a landfill-closure fund of $95,000; a county water and sewer fund budget of $4,901,000; a school capital improvements fund of $11,307,369; and an emergency telephone system fund of $169,347. Herman also listed fire district tax rates included in the ordinance, naming Bethlehem (0.06), Wittenberg (0.075), Hidnite (0.077), East Alexander/Stony (0.008), Ellendale (0.078), Sugar Life (0.114), Central Alexander (0.08), and Vashtie (0.1212).

The board received a detailed breakdown of expenditures. Herman said general fund spending mirrors revenues at $60,586,611 and that public safety accounts for 34% of general fund expenditures, human services 22% and general government 15%. Within public safety, she broke out EMS (34% of public-safety dollars), the sheriff's office (27%), detention (20%) and 911 communications (9%). Education accounted for roughly 14% of expenditures, with the local school system representing 98% of that slice.

Herman noted debt-service budgeted at $1,604,000 across funds, of which the general fund's share is $659,000 and primarily related to the detention center. "So this time next year, unless we borrow, we will have 0 debt for the general fund," she said, adding the county has not been debt-free in the general fund since she started in 2001.

Commissioners praised staff work on the budget and emphasized infrastructure and fiscal planning during discussion. A motion to approve the budget was made and seconded; the board voted and the motion carried unanimously.

The adopted ordinance includes the fire district tax rates and the line-item allocations described above. Staff said the property tax rate will remain the same and that the budget is balanced based on an estimated total property valuation of $4,167,961,106 and an estimated collection rate of 97.9%.