Forsyth County manager proposes $598.9M FY27 budget, recommends 1.68-cent property tax increase to sustain services

The Forsyth County manager on May 7 recommended a $598.9 million fiscal 2027 budget and asked the Board of Commissioners to approve a 1.68-cent property tax increase to steady operations as revenues lag.

Facing an estimated 1% growth in the tax base and softer sales and intergovernmental receipts, the manager said the modest increase would generate roughly $1 million in recurring revenue and help preserve services in public safety, social services, and schools. "I have made my best professional recommendation," the county manager said, framing the package as focused on maintaining service levels rather than launching major new programs.

The recommended budget includes a $5.8 million increase for the sheriff's office (largely personnel and detention medical costs), $3.8 million for general services primarily tied to consolidated utilities and staffing, and $2.8 million for social services to cover personnel and state cost shifts. Education remains the single largest line item at about $177.7 million; the manager proposed a $1.78 million increase for schools (about 1%), while removing about $4.9 million that had previously been passed through for school resource officers and certain nursing positions so the county will fund those services directly.

The package proposes limited enhancements (roughly $1.2 million) after departments requested about $17.2 million in new items. The manager said priorities were given to requests with no net county cost or those funded by external sources, citing firefighter positions supported by an overlay fire tax district and a social-services technology upgrade reimbursed about 50% by the state.

To start addressing capital shortfalls without a separate tax, the plan uses roughly four cents of tax capacity freed by maturing debt and proposes targeted financing for critical projects such as detention-center HVAC replacement and public safety equipment. A recommended reconfiguration of fire funding would shift district-by-district levies to a countywide fire overlay (proposed 9.51 cents) intended to equalize funding and create a capital set-aside.

The manager also proposed a series of benefits changes intended to rein in health-care costs: adding alternate dental plan options, moving dental to a fully insured model, and discontinuing GLP-1 medication coverage when used solely for weight-loss (coverage would continue for diabetes and other approved medical indications). Staff estimated the GLP-1 change would save about $4 million.

Public engagement and next steps: the board scheduled detailed budget briefings for May 14, a public hearing for May 19 at 6 p.m., and final adoption for June 4. The manager encouraged residents to review the full budget document once posted online and at local libraries.

Public reaction at the meeting included speakers pressing the board to consider larger local investments in schools; Jenny Easter, president of the Forsyth County Association of Educators, urged commissioners to fund the school system's $33.5 million supplemental request or otherwise prioritize classroom stability.

The board did not act on the manager's recommendation that night; commissioners asked staff to provide additional detail on school fund balances, ESSER (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief) timing and amounts, and to answer follow-up questions during the next scheduled briefing.