Alamance County manager recommends 1.59¢ tax increase; educators urge full funding for ABSS

Alamance County Manager presented a recommended fiscal year 2025–26 budget that would raise the county property tax rate by 1.59¢, from 0.469 to 0.485, to help cover rising costs and maintain services. The manager said the increase would add about $31.84 a year to the tax bill on a $200,000 home and about $52.80 on a median assessed home value of $265,200.

The manager described the budget as “fiscally responsible” but difficult, saying it reflects slower sales-tax growth, higher prices for vehicles and construction, and the end of some pandemic-era federal funding. She recommended limiting the use of fund balance to $1 million and rebuilding reserves rather than relying on one-time funds to balance recurring services.

Why it matters: Commissioners must adopt a balanced budget by law; the manager warned that avoiding a tax increase would require about $4.4 million in service cuts. Public safety, human services and school capital needs were highlighted as the main pressure points.

The recommended general fund totals roughly $229 million (about a 2% increase over the current year), and the manager said all funds total about $291.8 million (about a 6% increase). To limit immediate pain, the manager recommended shifting $10 million from current expense to capital projects for the Alamance Burlington School System (ABSS) to address roofs and HVAC work districtwide.

Public commenters — chiefly educators and school employees — spoke during the expanded public-comment period and urged the commissioners to fully fund ABSS’s request. Robert Albus, president of the Alamance Burlington Association of Educators, said the county’s prior support had enabled recent classroom improvements and urged a full appropriation, emphasizing the need for a classified pay supplement for bus drivers, cafeteria workers and clerical staff. “Offering a comparable and competitive wage is important,” Albus said.

Several speakers quantified staffing shortfalls. Ruth Schaller, an occupational therapist, said ABSS currently had 54 vacancies for special-education teachers and instructional assistants, 17 vacancies for speech therapists and seven vacancies for school psychologists. Regina Richardson, a math teacher, described classroom disruption from late buses and frequent substitute situations that reduce instructional time in college-preparatory classes.

Commission comments framed the choice for voters: accept a modest tax increase to sustain services and workforce competitiveness, or choose deeper cuts. Commissioner discussion emphasized that many county services are mandated and that cutting further could reduce response times for emergency services and affect day-to-day operations.

The board scheduled a public hearing on the budget for June 2 and additional budget work sessions for June 9 and June 10. Final budget adoption is set for the regular meeting on June 16.

Clarifying details from the meeting: the manager estimated that avoiding the tax increase would require $4.4 million in additional cuts; the recommended 1.59¢ increase equates to $31.84 on a $200,000 home and $52.80 on the county median assessment of $265,200. The manager recommended using $1 million of fund balance for FY2025–26 rather than the near-$8 million used this fiscal year; she said the county’s target reserve is 20% of general-fund expenditures.

Ending: Commissioners invited more public comment and noted several upcoming budget work sessions and the June 2 public hearing, where members of the public will be able to address the proposed tax rate and spending levels.