Alexander County proposes $60.3 million general fund budget, plans $5.03M draw from fund balance

Jennifer Herman, Alexander County finance director, presented the proposed fiscal year 2025–26 county budget at a public hearing May 2025, saying the general fund totals $60,327,132 and proposes keeping the property tax rate at 65 cents per $100 valuation.

The proposal reflects a 6.5% increase — roughly $3.7 million — over the adopted FY2024–25 budget, driven by inflationary cost pressures, critical service needs and targeted investments in infrastructure and personnel, Herman said. An initial projected shortfall of about $8.2 million was reduced through review and prioritization to a plan that would appropriate $5,033,000 of fund balance to balance the general fund.

The budget message explained key personnel and operating changes. The proposal includes a 2.5% cost-of-living adjustment for all county employees and additional pay increases targeted at most employees in the sheriff’s office, detention, 9‑1‑1 communications and EMS. New positions in the proposed budget include eight paramedics to form an additional EMS crew,…