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Northampton County previews $45.9 million FY2026–27 budget, holds property tax rate steady
Summary
County staff presented a $45.9 million proposed budget that keeps the property tax rate unchanged while increasing pay and benefits, funding capital projects, and reserving contingencies; the board will continue discussion in workshops before adopting the budget in June.
Mr. Phillips presented the Northampton County proposed FY2026–27 budget to the Board of Commissioners, describing a $45.9 million plan that includes about $40 million in the general fund (a roughly $2.1 million, or 6%, increase from the prior year). The presentation emphasized investments in employee pay, targeted public-safety increases and a multi-year capital improvement plan.
The budget package lists an unassigned general-fund beginning balance of $23.6 million (as of July 1, 2025). According to the presentation, the county will hold the current property-tax rate steady (described in the packet verbatim as “8 and a quarter percent per $100 of assessed value”). The budget also assumes a 2% merit increase and a 2% cost-of-living adjustment for most full-time and permanent part-time employees, with law-enforcement merit set at 3% and COLA at 2%. The county will maintain a $1,250 retention bonus for eligible law-enforcement staff paid after 12 months of service.
Among other highlights, the proposal includes:
- targeted pay adjustments for EMS: merit-based increases for paramedics, advanced EMTs and EMTs and a $270,000 line-item tied to those raises;
- $93,000 budgeted for opioid-related operations;
- a $5.4 million contribution to education (about $189,000 more than the prior year) and an $80,000 increase budgeted specifically for Northampton schools; and
- capital projects listed outside the operating budget including a $2 million elevated water storage tank, a $350,000 animal shelter project and other building and equipment allocations.
Presenter(s) said the budget was prepared by a budget committee and reviewed against department actuals and prior-year budgets. Public-safety spending remains the largest category by use of funds, and ad valorem taxes are the largest revenue source. The county noted continued pressures from state and federal funding changes affecting the health department and DSS and said separate budget workshops will review those programs in detail.
The board did not adopt the budget at the meeting. Staff said additional workshops are scheduled (the next budget meeting and audit presentation are set for April 20) and that the tentative budget will be refined before a final adoption deadline in June.
