York County proposes FY26 $288 million budget, recommends 4¢ real estate and 20¢ personal property tax increases

County Administrator Mark Bellamy told the York County Board of Supervisors on March 18 that he is proposing a FY26 operating and capital plan that would total about $288 million across funds, including roughly $200 million in the general fund, and recommended a real‑estate tax increase of 4¢ (from 74¢ to 78¢ per $100 of assessed value) and a 20¢ increase in the personal‑property tax rate (restoring the rate to $4.00).

Bellamy said the administration is proposing a maintenance‑level budget with no new programs beyond current commitments and that the request responds to rising costs for personnel, contractual services and debt. The administration estimates $11 million in budget drivers (pay and benefits, public safety, school support, contractual obligations and debt service) against projected revenue growth of $4.6 million, leaving a $6.4 million shortfall that the recommended tax adjustments would largely address.

The proposal includes a 4 percent general wage increase and a $500 one‑time payment for employees, an 8 percent projected increase in health and dental insurance costs, and an additional $1 million for the school division above earlier working numbers. Bellamy said the superintendent’s request still has a roughly $3 million shortfall that could be covered if the General Assembly’s pending amendments are signed by the governor.

Bellamy described other budget drivers: funding for 4 fully funded sheriff’s positions and 3 half‑year positions added last budget, overtime and certification pay for public safety, two new fire/life safety positions tied to a pharmacy program, IT positions for the sheriff’s office, restored mowing frequency in public works, and library digital subscriptions. Contractual obligations and memoranda of understanding across regional partners are estimated to increase by about $800,000. Debt service is projected to increase by roughly $1.1 million, and the county’s local share of social‑services and CSA costs is expected to rise by about $600,000.

On revenue, Bellamy said local assessment‑driven growth has slowed. He reported income from public service corporations rose in 2025 but that real‑estate revenue is expected to come in about $2 million under the FY25 budget. The administration used a conservative revenue forecast of 2.5 percent growth for FY26.

Bellamy outlined capital needs and the six‑year Capital Improvements Program (CIP): the proposed six‑year general‑fund‑supported CIP is $219 million, with the first‑year capital projects totaling about $40 million. Staff recommended $5 million in cash capital from the general fund, $3 million from the revenue stabilization fund for school projects, and about $6.1 million from capital reserves along with other grants and proffers.

Bellamy said the county’s debt metric — general‑fund expenditures supported by debt — would be about 8.63 percent under the plan and that the 8.63 percent figure assumes the 4¢ tax increase. He told the board his team can model the financial impacts of smaller rate increases (3¢, 2¢, etc.) and provide the board with options showing services or staffing that might be reduced under each alternative.

Bellamy said staff will advertise the tax rate at 80¢ to give the board flexibility during deliberations. He also announced two public town hall listening sessions (one March 25 at Griffin‑Yates and one April 3 at the sheriff’s office, both 7–9 p.m.), a public hearing on the budget April 15 and planned budget adoption on May 6. Bellamy said additional work sessions and member meetings with finance staff will be scheduled to provide details and options.

Board members asked for follow‑up modeling that shows the service tradeoffs by one‑cent increments and pressed staff for more detail on reserves and the use of cash in the CIP. Bellamy said staff would prepare those options before the next set of budget meetings.