Requested increases for public school funding and avoiding further cuts to local government spending would require a property tax increase, Buncombe County officials said late last week.
The discussion was part of a four-hour commissioners meeting, where local leaders assembled to plan for the upcoming fiscal year.
“ Since our last work session, we have decreased the gap of expenditures over revenues from $22.5 to $16.8 million,” Buncombe Budget Director John Hudson told commissioners on May 2. “We have discussed with use of fund balance of fiscal year 2024 and projected use this year, that there is no available fund balance for use and revenues will need to balance expenditures.”
Hudson added that in order to balance the budget before making any decisions to increase spending for K-12 education, commissioners would have to raise the property tax rates from 51.76 cents to 54.97 cents.
For example, a property owner whose home is valued at $350,000 would see about $112 more in taxes in the next year.
County commissioners also heard from Dr. Rob Jackson, superintendent for Buncombe County Schools (BCS) and Dr. Maggie Fehrman, superintendent of Asheville City Schools (ACS).
Both school district leaders asked for more money. Jackson asked for roughly $10 million more for BCS than it got last year and Fehrman said ACS would need close to $2 million more to maintain staffing and services.
If approved, property owners could see an additional three-cent tax increase, according to Commission Chair Amanda Edwards.
Other tidbits
- Fire chiefs from Enka-Candler, French Broad, Swannanoa, Upper Hominy, West Buncombe, and Reynolds pitched requests for tax increases in their areas to mainly maintain staff.
A balanced draft budget will be presented to commissioners during their May 6 meeting from County Manager Avril Pinder.
