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Kings Mountain holds tax rate, proposes $26.26M General Fund and 3% pay raise in draft budget
Summary
City staff proposed a FY2026-27 budget that keeps the property tax rate at $0.48 per $100 valuation, funds $2.56 million in General Fund capital projects without using fund balance for operations, and includes a 3% across-the-board salary increase; a budget hearing is set for May 26.
City Manager Todd Carpenter and Finance Director Jana Williams presented a proposed FY2026-27 budget for the City of Kings Mountain that would keep the property tax rate unchanged at $0.48 per $100 valuation while increasing the General Fund to $26,259,140.
The proposal includes a 3% across-the-board salary increase for all employees, minimal net additions of two General Fund positions, and $2,562,300 in General Fund capital outlay funded from current-year revenues or restricted reserves. Williams told council the proposal avoids using fund balance to cover recurring operational expenses and seeks to follow Local Government Commission guidance on interfund transfers.
Staff highlighted revenue sources for the General Fund—property taxes, local option sales taxes, user fees and franchise taxes—and noted adjustments for medical and retirement costs that contributed to a 5.7% overall increase in the General Fund budget. Officials said one cent of the property tax rate equates to roughly $277,000 gross ($261,000 net) and that the City’s current rate remains about 11% below its peer average.
The proposed comprehensive citywide budget totals $68,237,130. Councilmembers discussed priorities for downtown streetscape, parks projects and public-works facilities. A public hearing on the budget is scheduled for May 26, 2026; staff said they will ask the city council to adopt the proposed budget after the hearing is closed.
The work session adjourned at 3:00 p.m. following a motion to adjourn by Councilmember Shearra Miller, seconded by Councilmember Heather Lemmond, which passed unanimously.
