Buncombe board hears plan for three‑year local funding formula as residents push for more money

Buncombe County Schools officials on Jan. 15 presented a proposed three‑year “local current expense” funding formula designed to give the district earlier and more predictable local revenue estimates, while members of the public urged the board to push for higher funding.

CFO Tina Thorpe, who led the presentation, said the model uses actual unrestricted property and sales tax collections over a defined period rather than projected revenue and would run initially for three fiscal years beginning with the 2026–27 school year. “This model also builds in actual growth of revenues collected by Buncombe County for the ad valorem taxes,” Thorpe said, adding the agreement would notify school systems of the estimated amount by March 15 each year and includes emergency provisions to request additional funds if needed.

The prese…