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Nash County proposes $136.9M general fund budget, recommends 2.75% COLA and maintains 63¢ tax rate
Summary
County Manager presented a FY27 recommended $136.87M general fund budget (total $160.7M), a 63¢ tax rate, 2.75% cost‑of‑living adjustment for employees, $956,785 targeted for human‑services salary alignment, and 14 new positions (10 public safety); the budget is balanced and subject to a June public hearing.
The Nash County Manager presented a recommended FY27 budget to the Board of Commissioners on May 18 that would keep the county’s tax rate at 63¢ per $100 of valuation while funding pay increases, new positions and capital needs.
Key proposals include a $136,868,984 general‑fund operational budget (part of a $160.7 million overall budget across funds), a 2.75% cost‑of‑living adjustment for full‑time and permanent part‑time employees effective July 1, 2026, and incremental funding of $956,785 to align human‑services salaries with market data from a recently completed pay study. The recommended budget adds 14 positions, 10 of them in public safety (three sheriff deputies, a detention corporal, an assistant detention administrator, four EMT‑paramedic positions and a deputy fire marshal), plus several administrative and human‑services roles.
The manager emphasized conservative assumptions: a 98% collection rate for property tax revenue, a balanced operational budget without use of fund balance, and contingency funding for capital projects drawn from fund balance for non‑recurring needs. Capital priorities include vehicle replacements for several departments, facility improvements and technology replacements; the recommended capital program uses a mix of fund balance and targeted appropriations.
On education, the manager proposed holding Nash County Public School operational funding essentially flat while adding $267,000 in capital to complete a middle‑school security lock program and an additional $500,000 for school resource officers; the county’s per‑pupil allocation has increased as enrollment has declined.
Commissioners asked for greater detail on program and CIP inclusions (for example which of several previously discussed options were incorporated for enterprise funds and vehicle purchases). The board voted to post monthly financial reports online and asked staff to circulate more detailed department‑by‑department breakout for review before budget adoption. A public hearing is scheduled for June 1, and the budget ordinance will be presented for adoption on June 15, 2026.
What happens next: Staff will publish budget documents, provide the requested department‑level detail, and bring the budget ordinance back for formal consideration at the June 15 meeting following the public hearing.
