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Onslow County advances draft FY2027 budget and adopts resolution opposing state reappraisal moratorium
Summary
County staff presented a proposed FY2027 budget that would lower the proposed tax rate to 55¢ per $100 of assessed value; commissioners voted 4–3 to adopt a resolution opposing North Carolina Senate Bill 889, which staff said could cut roughly $20–25 million from county revenues.
Onslow County commissioners on June 1 heard the proposed fiscal year 2027 budget and voted to adopt a formal resolution opposing North Carolina Senate Bill 889, a state proposal that would delay or suspend the county’s recent property revaluation.
Interim county manager Steve Eaton and Chief Financial Officer Kevin Patterson presented a budget they described as balanced while reducing the county’s proposed tax rate by 10.5 cents to 55¢ per $100 of assessed value. Patterson told commissioners the county faces several fiscal pressures, including a projected $1.3 million reduction in Medicaid reimbursement for staffing and the financial uncertainty tied to the state legislation. "If the state delays implementation," Patterson said, "it could reduce anticipated county revenues by roughly $20 million, which would force either service cuts or a higher tax rate." (Kevin Patterson)
The board spent much of its debate on the potential effects of the proposed moratorium. County attorney Brett Sams read the resolution into the record, which states that the board "formally opposes Senate Bill 889" and urges the General Assembly to remove Onslow County from any moratorium provision. Commissioners split over whether issuing a local resolution would influence the state process, but the resolution passed by a 4–3 vote.
Public comment during the meeting included a resident’s appeal over the county’s neighborhood-factor adjustments in the revaluation process. Terry Nes told the board he believed neighborhood factors were applied inconsistently and were producing unfair tax increases for some homeowners.
The county intends to hold a public hearing on the budget at its June 15 meeting; staff told commissioners that further action on the final tax rate could depend on the state’s movement on SB 889.
What’s next: The board will hear public comment on the draft budget on June 15; commissioners said they may delay final adoption if the General Assembly acts on the moratorium before that date.
