Cumberland County Manager presents FY2026 recommended budget of $608K

By Staff Report, posted May 23, 2025 on BizFayetteville.com

County Manager Clarence Grier presented the Fiscal Year 2026 Recommended Annual Budget to the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners on Thursday, May 23.

The proposed balanced budget includes $608,853,794 in expenditures across all County funds, with $404,639,839 appropriated to the General Fund, reflecting a 3% increase or $11.8 million over the current General Fund budget.

Grier is recommending a property tax rate of 55.93 cents per $100 assessed value, which is the revenue-neutral rate following the 2025 Revaluation and a reduction of almost 24 cents from the current tax rate of 79.9 cents. The revenue-neutral tax rate is the rate estimated to produce the revenue equal to the amount collected in the previous fiscal year, plus natural growth, if no reappraisal had occurred. One penny on the tax rate equals $3,780,438.

“This budget addresses the Board’s strategic initiatives while providing flexibility to handle any future shifts in Federal and State policy, as well as the economic landscape of the county,” Grier said in a press release.

General Fund revenues from tax collections are budgeted at $191.3 million from ad valorem taxes (47% of the total budget); $81.2 million from sales taxes (20% of the budget) and $19.8 million from motor vehicles (5% of the budget).

The proposed budget maintains the County Fire Protection Service District tax rate at 15 cents per $100 valuation, which is above the revenue-neutral rate of 9.46 cents, and the County Recreation tax rate at 5 cents per $100 valuation, which is above the revenue-neutral rate of 2.93 cents.

The FY2026 Recommended Budget marks the first year of a change in the method used to distribute sales tax revenues. Effective July 1, 2025, sales tax revenues will be distributed based on an ad valorem formula and no longer on a per capita method. As a result, the General Fund will increase by an estimated $8.9 million; and for the first time, the special taxing districts will benefit from sales tax distributions. The County’s Fire Protection Service District will see an estimated increase of $3.8 million and the County Recreation District will see a $1.4 million hike.

The estimated total increase to the special tax districts based on ad valorem and sales tax revenues is projected at $10.4 million for the County’s consolidated Fire Protection Service District and $3 million for the County Recreation District.

Highlights:

Employee compensation:

2.5% cost-of-living adjustment for County employees, estimated to cost $4.2 million

2% increase in the employer 401(k) contribution for non-sworn employees, bringing the total County contribution to 4%, estimated to cost $2.7 million

$3,000 increase in starting pay for entry level Sheriff’s Deputies and Detention Center Officers through Lieutenants

$1,500 tuition assistance for graduate degrees

$2,500 tuition assistance for undergraduate degrees

Four hours of community involvement leave in lieu of parent involvement school leave

Education:

Cumberland County Schools - $91,739,472, a $2 million increase from FY2025. The school system requested $103,734,839. The recommendation maintains the consistent method from the prior funding agreement of allocating 43.47% of projected ad valorem tax collections. In addition, the budget includes $2,060,273 for school nurses and $1,598,853 for School Resource Officers and crossing guards.

Fayetteville Technical Community College - $15,866,037 from the General Fund for current expenses and $1,300,000 in capital funding.

Community Agency Funding:

Outside agencies requested $3.6 million in funding. The recommendation is $396,288, an increase of $141,595 from FY2025.

“I appreciate the dedicated work of the County Manager and staff in preparing the proposed budget,” said Board of Commissioners Chairman Kirk deViere in a press release. “As a board, we look forward to our upcoming work sessions where we will review the proposal in detail. Our goal is to adopt a budget that reflects our shared priorities, maintains high-quality services for our residents, and responsibly reduces the tax burden on both families and businesses across Cumberland County.”

The recommended budget including the Manager’s Budget Message is available on the county’s website at cumberlandcountync.gov/budget.

According to North Carolina law, the Board may adopt the budget no earlier than 10 days after it is presented.

Commissioners will hold a public hearing on the proposed budget on Thursday, June 5, 2025, at 7 p.m., in Room 118 of the Judge E. Maurice Braswell Cumberland County Courthouse. Citizens wishing to comment on the recommended budget during the public hearing must sign up prior to the start of the meeting. A sign-up sheet will be available in the room. Alternatively, individuals may call the Clerk to the Board at 910-678-7771, email atebbe@cumberlandcountync.gov or

All budget work sessions will be held in the Judge E. Maurice Braswell Cumberland County Courthouse at 117 Dick St., Fayetteville. The FY2026 budget meeting schedule can be found online.

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