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Buncombe County holds public hearing on manager’s proposed FY26 budget as residents urge no cuts to schools
Summary
County budget director presented a recommended FY26 general fund budget of $434.98 million and a proposed tax rate increase of 3.26¢ to 55.02¢ per $100 of assessed value. Dozens of residents urged the Board not to cut K–12 funding and to consider modest tax increases to maintain pre-Helene staffing and programs.
The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners held a public hearing May 20 on County Manager Pender’s recommended fiscal year 2026 budget, which proposes a general fund budget of $434,984,111 and a recommended tax rate increase of 3.26¢ to 55.02¢ per $100 of assessed value to balance the books.
County Budget Director John Hudson told commissioners the FY26 recommendation responds to revenue pressures and higher personnel costs. “Revenues were down $11,400,000 from fiscal year 25 with unrestricted revenue down 3.49%,” Hudson said, noting that health insurance and retirement cost increases added about $2.7 million to expenditures. The recommended budget delays new PAYGO capital projects and reduces operating budgets and discretionary community investments to preserve essential county operations.
The recommended budget funds education at $121.8 million, including $113.2 million allocated to K–12 schools; that level is lower than the county provided in recent years. Hudson outlined scenarios showing what additional tax rate increases would be needed to restore prior funding levels, including a 0.79¢…
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