Commissioners to debate budget, property tax rate during meeting

By Eddie West Staff Writer

With a 2026-2027 fiscal year county budget yet to be approved by county commissioners, it remains very much uncertain whether residents will face a property tax rate increase this year.

Earlier, county commissioners adopted a 2026 state certified property tax rate which translates into no property tax rate increase for this year.

What remains uncertain is whether that rate will stand or be increased.

The reason for the uncertainty is the full county commission has yet to adopt a 2026-2027 fiscal year budget which is largely funded by the county’s property tax rate.

Meanwhile, at the center of the debate is the county’s school system budget which has yet to be set.

A proposed school system budget, which has been approved by the school, has been rejected by the county’s Budget and Finance Committee twice. This means the county’s full commission will decide whether the school system will receive the $37.3 million it has requested to fund its 2026-2027 fiscal budget. If the request is rejected by the full county commission, cuts to the school system budget are anticipated. 

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