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York County supervisors adopt FY2027 budget package; meals tax raised to 6%
Summary
The York County Board of Supervisors on May 5 adopted the FY2027 budget package, keeping the real-estate tax rate at $0.78 per $100 while raising the prepared food and beverage (meals) tax from 4% to 6% to help fund county and school priorities. Multiple related ordinances and the CIP were approved unanimously.
YORK COUNTY — The York County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously May 5 to adopt the fiscal year 2027 budget and associated ordinances, keeping the county's real-estate tax rate unchanged and increasing the meals tax to 6% to help close a budget gap without raising property taxes.
The package approved by the five-member board included ordinance 26-9 establishing calendar year 2026 real-estate and personal-property levies at $0.78 per $100 of assessed value and $4.00 for personal property, resolution R26-48 adopting the FY2027 budget for the county and school division, resolution R26-49 adopting the FY2027–2032 Capital Improvements Program, and resolution R26-50 designating 45 cents of the property tax to school purposes. The board also approved ordinance 26-7 to change solid waste and recycling fees and ordinance 26-6 to raise sewer rates and make administrative updates.
Explaining the meals tax increase, the chair said the board favored spreading the tax burden beyond homeowners: "Doing it this way it isn't just residents that contribute to it. Every visitor, every tourist that come into county and dine somewhere county restaurant helps contribute to it," the chair said. The chair added the choice allowed the board to keep the real-estate rate at $0.78.
A board member asked staff about roughly $467,000 of additional revenue that had been flagged during budget preparation; staff said some of the increase came from expected meal-tax receipts and business-license growth and that the funds would be directed toward the CIP.
All motions adopting the ordinances and resolutions passed on roll-call votes with the following board members recorded as voting yes: Mrs. Knowles, Mr. Drury, Mr. Rowan, Mr. Shepherd and Mr. Holroyd.
Votes at a glance: - Ordinance 26-9 (real-estate and personal-property tax levies): adopted; yes — Knowles, Drury, Rowan, Shepherd, Holroyd. - Resolution R26-48 (FY2027 budget): adopted; unanimous. - Resolution R26-49 (FY2027''2032 CIP): adopted; unanimous. - Resolution R26-50 (designation of property tax for schools): adopted; unanimous. - Ordinance 26-7 (solid waste, garbage, and weeds fee changes): adopted; unanimous. - Ordinance 26-6 (sewer rate increases and administrative changes): adopted; unanimous. - Ordinance 26-8 (prepared food and beverage meals tax increase to 6%): adopted; unanimous; effective July 1, 2026.
Why it matters: Supervisors said the FY2027 plan balances core service funding, school support and employee compensation while attempting to limit the property-tax impact on homeowners. The board emphasized that the county is preparing longer-range forecasts (a 16-month outlook) to anticipate state budget changes and other unknowns that could affect future years.
Next steps: The ordinances take effect as specified (the meals tax increase is effective July 1, 2026); the board and staff will continue CIP planning and start next cycle budget discussions as they monitor state budget developments.
(Reporters: Motions and roll-call tallies were read into the public record during the meeting.)
