MECKLENBURG COUNTY, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) – If you own property in Mecklenburg County, you could be looking at an increase in your taxes if the proposed budget is approved.
On Thursday, Mecklenburg County Manager Dena Diorio presented the recommended budget for the 2025 fiscal year, stating they’re experiencing “revenue shortfalls that the county cannot seamlessly absorb.”
Diorio said the fiscal challenges are more defined and that they “need to be more strategic than ever in maximizing resources,” emphasizing the county is limited in ways they haven’t seen in some time.
Those who own a home or business could be looking at a possible 1.5-cent property tax increase.
For those who own a home with a median value of $250,000, you could be looking at an increase of $37.50 per year. For those who own a home with a median value of $383,000, you could be paying an additional $57.45 per year, and for those who own a home with a median value of $600,000, you could be looking at an additional $90 per year in property taxes.
Impact on the taxpayer
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1¢ to fund debt service for new schools and county facilities
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.5¢ for general fund
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48.81¢ total county tax rate per $100 of value
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The median homeowner would pay $57.45/year more or $4.79/month
According to Diorio, the proposed increase in property taxes is “necessary to fund the Capital Improvement Plan and due to $20 million of revenue reductions for the Sheriff’s Office, Register of Deeds, and Medicaid Administration.”
Mecklenburg County will no longer receive revenue from housing federal inmates, which has an impact of roughly $12.3 million. Revenue from the register of deeds transactions is significantly down, and there are some changes to a portion of the cost for Medicaid reimbursements for counties, based on a revised interpretation of federal guidelines. Estimated losses below:
Summary of Proposed Budget
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The recommended tax rate is 48.81¢ per $100 of property value. This is an increase of 1.5¢ (1¢ to capitol and .5¢ to general operating)
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Utilizes $105 million of fund balance to help support the board priorities
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Fully funds CMS budget request with $46.4 million in new operating funding, and $33 million in total for capital maintenance, a total of $676 million overall
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Sustains $2.6 million in programs that began with ARPA and MacArthur Grants
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Provides a 3% salary increase for county employees and performance-bases pay, averaging 2.5%
“We have raised the bar in services to residents and we need to maintain and sustain those efforts that have made a critical difference in the lives of so many people,” Dioria said Thursday. “Mecklenburg County’s expansion of services in recent years has been unprecedented. We have made significant progress in many critical areas including affordable housing, housing insecurity, early childhood development, and protecting and improving our recreational and green spaces so all can enjoy them for generations to come.”