Greene County Manager Proposes FY 2026-27 Budget With Steady Tax Rate, Fee Increases and Salary Adjustments
Greene County Manager Kyle DeHaven has presented a proposed fiscal year 2026-2027 budget that keeps the county’s property tax rate steady while recommending several fee increases, salary adjustments and targeted spending changes.
The proposed budget is balanced using a property tax rate of $0.786 per $100 of assessed valuation. According to the budget message dated May 18, 2026, the county’s estimated real and personal property valuation is approximately $1.226 billion. Using an estimated collection rate of 98%, the county anticipates approximately $11.2 million in net tax revenues, including budget-year ad valorem taxes and NCVTS ad valorem revenues.
While the proposed tax rate does not increase, residents may still see higher costs through utility and solid waste fees.
The manager’s budget recommends water rate increases of 4.27% for residential customers, 17.10% for institutional customers and 4.40% for bulk water. Commercial water is listed for an increase of +8.89 in the budget message. Sewer rates would also increase, including a 3% residential sewer increase and a 7% increase for prisons. The proposal also calls for establishing an industrial sewer rate.
Solid waste fees would increase by $5 for both the Solid Waste Availability Fee and the User Fee. The budget message says the availability fee applies to all residences countywide, while the user fee applies only to unincorporated areas and municipalities without solid waste collection systems, for a combined fee of $130.
Another notable change is the Utility System Management Fee. The proposed budget increases that interfund transfer from the Utility Fund to the General Fund to $500,000. The budget message says the fee reimburses the General Fund for staffing, equipment and facilities usage. The fee had been increased to $350,000 last year after remaining unchanged for the previous 12 years.
Education remains one of the major funding areas. Greene County Schools funding is proposed at $3,185,000, which the budget message describes as a $300,000 increase from the FY 2024-2025 level. Funding for Lenoir Community College remains unchanged at $264,000, and Neuse Regional Libraries funding remains level at $155,250.
The proposal also includes staffing and compensation changes. The budget adds one new employee designated for information technology. The manager’s message says the position is intended to build in-house IT capacity while continuing to work with the county’s outsourced provider, Intercomp Systems.
County employees would receive raises resulting from either a 2% cost-of-living adjustment or the results of a salary study completed in FY 2025-2026. The budget message says the salary study was intended to keep county pay competitive with surrounding counties and help offset inflation.
Fleet replacement is another priority. The proposed budget continues the county’s eight-year vehicle replacement cycle and budgets for six vehicles: three for the Sheriff’s Department, one F-250 for Emergency Management and two F-150s for the Water Department.
For public safety and first responders, the proposal allocates $20,000 to support eight fire departments participating in the First Responder Program.
The county also proposes increased economic development spending through its participation in the Global TransPark Economic Development Region. Annual dues for that participation are listed at $78,915.
The proposed budget includes compensation for the Greene County Board of Commissioners. In the detailed budget, the governing body section recommends board salaries of $67,233, up from the FY 2026 budgeted amount of $65,915. Board travel allowance is recommended at $10,000, up from the FY 2026 budgeted amount of $6,600. Board expense is recommended at $10,000, although the requested amount was $64,000.
The proposed budget is not final. Commissioners may revise the spending plan before adoption for the fiscal year that begins July 1, 2026.
