Wake County's $2.1 billion fiscal year 2026 budget proposal includes property tax increase

RALEIGH, N.C (WTVD) -- On Monday, Wake County Manager David Ellis presented his $2.1 billion budget recommendation to Wake County Commissioners, with increases in funding for areas including public safety and education in the county. The budget proposal includes an increased investment of $35 million for Wake County Public Schools, up to roughly $737 million from the county's current spending of $702 million.

Last month, Superintendent Dr. Robert Taylor presented his budget plan that asked for an increase of $40 million in county funding for the district.

"If they pass what was recommended tonight, there would still be cuts to the district budget," said Christina Cole, President of the Wake NCAE.

Cole said educators are concerned about possible cuts to benefits and certain staff positions in both Taylor and the County's proposed budget plans, despite the increase in funding present in both proposals.

"We've attended every single budget hearing and had at least a dozen or so people speaking for a "no cuts budget," she said. "We've been at every school board meeting since the proposal came in March, and our message has been the same."

The proposed $35 million increase for schools would bring the two-year increase in public school funding to more than $93 million, after Wake County Commissioners increased investment in Wake's schools by $58 million last year. Ellis addressed the spending increase in his presentation Monday night.

"We understand from our conversations with Superintendent Taylor, his staff, and the Board of Education, that they have many needs, some of which are magnified by uncertainty at the state and federal levels," Ellis said.

Cole said that educators won't settle for any plan that puts teacher positions or benefits at risk.

"We will be at all of those and we'll continue to have group conversations with board members and commissioners about the direct impact on workers and students," she said.

The recommended budget includes a property tax increase for the voter-approved library bond, a news release stated. The proposed budget also includes investments in staffing, infrastructure for public safety, and addresses state mandates and the effects of growth in Wake County.

"Despite this uncertain economic climate, this budget is fiscally sustainable and ensures our residents' most critical needs are met," Ellis said. "I've recommended investments that will advance the goals in the County's strategic plan and address the results of our recent community survey - both of which serve as key guides for the work we do."

Ellis said the County will use natural revenue growth to cover all other budget expansion.

Budget Breakdown

Library Bond: The library bond will require a 0.25-cent property tax increase. The $142 million bond will enable the County to build five new libraries and expand or renovate nine other library buildings during the next seven years, increasing accessibility and improving service delivery.

Fire Tax District: The Wake County Fire Tax District funds fire services in the unincorporated areas of the county and the Town of Wendell. Many firehouses in these areas were built in the 1970s and 1980s for volunteer fire departments, the county said. In addition, the County plans to replace 10 aging stations during the next 10 years at a cost of more than $60 million.

To fund these expenses, the budget proposes approving the Fire Commission's request to increase the fire tax by 1.5 cents to 12.25 cents per $100 of property value for households in the unincorporated areas and Wendell.

Wake Schools: The budget recommends a $1.15 billion investment, or 53% of the budget, in education and facilities. This includes operating funds of $737.6 million for the Wake County Public School System, $133.8 million for Wake Tech, and $8.2 million for Pre-K programs for income-eligible 3- and 4-year-olds.

First Responders: Adding 15 new paramedics and 10 emergency medical technicians to Wake County EMS to provide timely and appropriate emergency medical care to our residents.

Continuum of Care: Adding nine positions to the agency, which Wake County now leads. The agency works to make homelessness "rare, brief, and non-recurring" in the community.

Legal Help: Funding for the first time for two legal assistants in the Wake County District Attorney's Office and one social worker in the Wake County Public Defender's Office to address a growing workload and help move cases through the justice system more efficiently.

Board of Elections: Adding six new positions to the Wake County Board of Elections in response to Senate Bill 382, which is now law and requires ballots to be counted within shorter timeframes than in the past.

See a copy of the full budget here.

Next Steps

Starting Monday night, Wake County residents can go to the county website and provide feedback on the latest budget recommendation. There will be two public budget hearings for community feedback -- on May 19 and 20 -- before the final budget vote on June 2.