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County administrator introduces FY 2026 budget; maintains current tax rates and proposes staff pay increases
Summary
County Administrator presented the FY26 introduced budget, proposing no change to the real estate and personal property tax rates, a $6.12 million rise in general fund revenues driven by reassessment values and new growth, and targeted increases for public safety, schools and employee compensation.
County Administrator Mr. Stokes introduced the Prince George County FY 2026 budget to the Board of Supervisors on March 11. The introduced budget uses 2025 reassessed property values and proposes holding the real-estate tax rate at $0.82 per $100 of assessed value and the personal property tax at $3.90.
Stokes said the introduced general fund revenues total $80,143,093, an increase of $6,120,122 (8.27%) over FY25. He told the board the revenue growth includes an estimated $4.2 million increase in real property tax revenue due to the 2025 reassessment and new construction. The budget presentation lists a $1.2 million increase in funding to Prince George County Schools for operations and textbooks and proposes additional public safety funding of roughly $3.3 million.
The introduced budget also recommends pausing general-fund–supported debt issuance until FY 2027, continuing staff salary increases to remain competitive in the regional market, and sharing an 11% health-insurance cost increase between county and employees beginning June 2025. Stokes said the county projects a 06/30/2025 fund balance of approximately $42 million, or about 26% of the introduced budget, and recommended using fund balance for smaller projects while reserving major debt for FY 2027.
Public-utilities proposals were included, with a proposed water and sewer rate increase that would raise an average two-month (bimonthly) 10,000-gallon household bill by $5.08 (about $30.48 per year). A public hearing on water and sewer rates was scheduled for April 22. Stokes said more detailed revenue updates (including personal property final numbers from the Commissioner of the Revenue and state revenue impacts) will be provided during upcoming budget work sessions before adoption on May 27.
The introduced budget presentation and supporting documents will be posted to the county website and BoardDocs, Stokes said, and the board will continue work sessions and public hearings through adoption.
