Durham city manager proposes $722 million budget emphasizing safety, housing and infrastructure

Durham City Manager presented a proposed fiscal 2025–26 budget totaling $722,000,000 that the administration says balances new investments in public safety, housing and infrastructure with revenue changes from a recent county property revaluation.

The manager described the proposal as “reflecting this new vision” for the city and told councilmembers the plan is informed by resident input, the city’s strategic plan and the results of a property revaluation that raised assessed values across Durham.

The proposal asks the City Council to adopt a revised property tax rate intended to produce revenue for services and capital work while reflecting the reappraisal. The manager said the staff-calculated revenue-neutral rate is 0.3823 (38.23 cents per $100 of assessed value) and recommended a proposed rate of 0.4371 (43.71 cents per $100), a change the presentation described as necessary to fund operating needs, pay increases and capital programs including voter-approved bonds.

Why it matters: the plan would fund expanded crisis-response teams, housing-stability programs and large water and sewer projects while also directing bond proceeds to sidewalks, streets and parks projects voters approved in November.

Key elements of the proposal

- Total proposed budget: $722,000,000 (the manager described this as roughly a $54,000,000, or 8 percent, increase over current spending levels). The administration attributed part of that change to the county revaluation that raised assessed values citywide. - Property revaluation: staff said a county revaluation increased assessed values by about 71.6 percent and that…