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Southampton supervisors agree to advertise higher property-tax rate after superintendent’s school funding request
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Summary
The Southampton County Board of Supervisors voted to advertise a 75¢ per $100 real-estate tax rate to boost the local share for schools after Dr. Harris Mohammed told the board she sought $4,000,615.15 in local funds to support a FY 26–27 budget that included a 5% pay raise request.
Dr. Harris Mohammed, acting superintendent of the school division, told the Southampton County Board of Supervisors she has asked the board for $4,000,615.15 in local funding for the FY 26–27 budget and that the division’s total, including state funding, is $6,065,437. "My ask is $4,000,615.15," Dr. Mohammed said, and she reiterated that the division’s initial proposal included a 5% pay increase for instructional and classified staff.
The board discussed how much of the 5% request the county could afford and the trade-offs if the division cannot secure additional funding. Dr. Mohammed said the school division could likely meet a minimum 2% increase and possibly 2%–3% if local funding falls short, and she warned the division would begin by not filling vacant positions rather than cutting roles that directly affect students. She noted the division serves about 2,300 students and singled out a social worker and a dean of students as positions she would not remove.
Supervisors pressed staff for specific costs. County staff estimated a 5% raise would raise payroll costs by roughly $1.1 million; staff also estimated each 1¢ increase in the real-estate tax rate would generate about $238,000 locally. Using that math, supervisors discussed targeting a 3¢–4¢ increase specifically directed to the schools’ local share.
After discussion, the board voted to advertise a real-estate tax rate of $0.75 per $100 of assessed value with the additional local share earmarked for schools. Chairman Edwards moved the action and the chair declared the result unanimous.
The county administrator said the advertised rate will be prepared for publication and a public hearing; the board’s final adoption will follow the advertised hearing and any further public comment. Dr. Mohammed told supervisors she would return with refined figures and a prioritized list of vacant positions that could be left unfilled to reduce costs if the board chooses a smaller local increase.
Why it matters: The advertised tax rate will be the basis for a public hearing; if adopted in final form it would increase the county’s local contribution to the school division for teacher pay and other priorities the superintendent identified. The board directed staff to publish the draft budget reflecting the 75¢ rate and to continue working with school finance staff on exact staffing and savings calculations.
