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New Kent supervisors adopt FY27 budget, raise real-estate tax rate; approve courthouse and Fire Station 2 funding
Summary
The Board of Supervisors adopted the county’s FY2026–27 budget package on May 26, including a real-estate tax increase to $0.58 per $100 assessed value, a $271.4 million governmental and school budget, and a CIP that includes a new courthouse and $6.532 million for Fire Station 2. One member abstained on courthouse-related votes due to a declared conflict.
The New Kent County Board of Supervisors on May 26 adopted its FY2026–27 budget package, approved a 4-cent increase in the county’s real-estate tax rate and approved capital spending that includes a new courthouse and funding for Fire Station 2.
Rodney Hathaway told the board that ordinance O-05-26 would set the real-estate rate at $0.58 per $100 of assessed value — four cents above the county’s equalized rate of $0.54 — while the personal property rate would remain unchanged. "This ordinance is to set the real estate and personal property rate for fiscal year 2027," Hathaway said during the presentation.
Ms. Pearson moved to adopt O-05-26; the board approved the measure on a recorded poll. The package that followed included adoption of the county and school budgets totaling $271,427,179 and a capital improvement program (CIP) that lists the courthouse and other major projects.
The CIP vote adopted resolution R-21-26-R1, which the board approved to appropriate the FY2026–27 capital improvement program and explicitly included $6,532,000 for Fire Station 2 as part of a $146,405,155 CIP total. The motion carried with Ms. Stewart, Mr. Moriarity, Ms. Pearson and Mr. Steers voting aye; Mr. Evelyn recorded an abstention because he earlier disclosed a potential conflict of interest tied to parcel 24-37A, which may be needed for courthouse acquisition.
Hathaway told the board staff had removed two projects from the proposed CIP — the War Memorial Community Center project and an athletic facility project — while working with school officials on alternatives. During the meeting a board member recounted touring the existing courthouse and said the facility had outgrown its space, noting increased court frequency and security concerns.
The board also adopted resolution R-22-26-R1 to appropriate the governmental and school budgets and R-23-26 to adopt the public utility fund budget. The board adopted R-24-26, the annual reimbursement resolution that allows the county to reimburse certain pre-borrowing capital expenditures from future bond proceeds; Mr. Evelyn abstained on that vote as well.
The actions set the county’s revenue and spending framework for FY2027 and advance the procurement and financing steps for major capital projects; several procurement and project implementation steps will return to the board for approval.
Next steps: the board must complete bond financing resolutions related to the projects and will oversee procurement steps for architects and construction managers as those procurements proceed.
