Buncombe County midyear financial check: revenues ahead of pacing, expenditures near expectations

Mason Scott, presenting the county's fiscal 2026 second-quarter financial report on Feb. 17, told the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners that county finances appear healthy at the midyear checkpoint.

Scott said the amended general fund budget is $438,000,000 and year-to-date revenues through Dec. 31, 2025, were $258,400,000, or 59% of budget, ahead of the 50% benchmark for the fiscal year elapsed. He said property tax collections and investment income were strong drivers of the favorable revenue performance and that sales tax timing is seasonal and lagged by roughly three months.

On spending, Scott reported year-to-date expenditures of $215,300,000, or about 49.2% of budget. Major functional spending cited included public safety, education, human services and general government. He said capital projects activity has increased versus the prior year, with a life-to-date capital budget of $154,300,000 and $68,100,000 in actual spend on active projects. Scott described the county's investment portfolio as diversified and liquid, noting total cash and investments of $382,000,000 and fiscal year-to-date investment income of $4,820,000.

Scott flagged that solid waste fund revenues were tracking slightly below the 50% benchmark at the midpoint — $7,200,000 year-to-date, or 39% of budget — and told commissioners staff would continue to monitor the fund's seasonal and storm-related variances. When a commissioner asked whether the roughly 7% drop in solid waste revenue was concerning, Scott said he expected continued monitoring but did not view it as a material risk at midyear.

Scott closed by noting procurement and contract activity during the quarter and recommended continuing to track revenue and expenditure patterns as projects progress.