What Kinston’s Proposed Tax Rate Cut Means for Property Owners
Kinston property owners would see a lower city tax rate under the recommended fiscal year 2026-27 budget, but the actual savings will depend on each property’s assessed value.
Interim City Manager Ralph Clark’s recommended budget lowers the city’s ad valorem tax rate from 73 cents to 70 cents per $100 of assessed value. The proposed rate applies to the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026.
For taxpayers, the three-cent reduction equals about $30 per year for every $100,000 in taxable property value. A property assessed at $200,000 would see a reduction of about $60 compared with the same value taxed at the current 73-cent rate.
The budget document projects Kinston’s FY26-27 tax base at approximately $2.022 billion. That is down from the FY25-26 budgeted tax base of about $2.040 billion.
At the recommended 70-cent rate, the city estimates it will collect about $13.674 million in ad valorem revenue. The budget states the rate reduction would result in an estimated $1.001 million decrease in property tax revenue.
Clark’s budget message says reducing the ad valorem tax burden was one of two major goals in preparing the recommended budget. The other was implementing the recently approved employee pay and classification plan.
The recommended budget does not include increases to water and sewer rates, electric rates, stormwater rates or solid waste collection fees. Miscellaneous fees are described as having minor adjustments.
The full recommended all-funds budget totals $126,463,800. The General Fund, which includes many core city services such as police, fire, parks and recreation, streets, planning, inspections and administration, is recommended at $34,289,200.
The proposed budget is scheduled for a public hearing at the regular Kinston City Council meeting on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. Copies of the recommended budget are available for public inspection in the City Clerk’s Office, on the city website and at the Kinston-Lenoir County Public Library.
