Orange County Tax Rate Down After Property Revaluation in Recommended Budget

The budgeting process for Orange County is underway.

The tax rate in the county is going down under the proposed budget put forward by county manager Bonnie Hammersley presented to the Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday night.

But there will still be some residents who see their overall tax bill go up, even under the new lower rate, because of the property revaluation carried out for the first time in eight years in accordance with state law. The revaluation saw an increase in property values across the county.

School funding takes up 48.8 percent of the general fund revenues in the recommended budget, which exceeds the commissioners’ goal of 48.1 percent.
Last year’s approved budget allocated 50.1 percent of the general fund toward school funding.

The per-pupil spending for the two districts in the county is increasing by $123 to nearly $4,000 per student, which officials say is a greater increase than the average over the last 10 years.

The budget also sets aside funding for three new bus routes for Orange Public Transportation. Six new OPT drivers are also funded in the recommendation.

Two positions are also funded to work toward affordable housing goals in the county, including consolidating pathways for residents to apply for and receive funding.

One other initiative funded in the recommendation is being billed as a competitive need in the county. If approved by commissioners, the new budget would provide six weeks of parental leave for county employees who have a new child by birth, adoption or guardianship. Several other municipalities and counties across the Triangle have adopted similar measures in recent months.

Public hearings on the budget are scheduled for May 11 and 18. Work sessions will then be held on May 25, June 1, 8 and 15. The board is then anticipated to adopt the budget on June 20.

You can review more information related to the budget recommendation on the county’s website.

‹

Local Government Meetings: June 1-5, 2026

This week in local government: budget decisions for Orange County, Carrboro, and Durham, and the final vote on a CHCCS school closure.

Facing Pressures In All Directions, Orange County Commissioners Near Budget Decision

Orange County Commissioners are holding a public hearing on next year's budget Thursday, May 28, with major decisions yet to be made.

Local Government Meetings: February 9-13, 2025

This week in local government: residents in Chatham County push back against Flock license-plate cameras and AI data centers.

Orange County Commissioners Weigh Budget Amendments on Climate, Schools

The final pieces of the puzzle that will form next year’s Orange County operating budget will be negotiated on Tuesday night as the county commissioners hold a work session to discuss more than two dozen amendments that have been proposed by commissioners and county staff during the budget process. “The amendments are proposed, nothing has […]

Orange County Commissioners Deciding Between Continued Smaller Tax Increases or 1 Big Blow

Orange County manager Bonnie Hammersley’s $236.4 million recommended budget includes a 1.5 cent property tax increase, but commissioners could opt to implement a larger increase this year in hopes of eliminating increases in upcoming budgets. Hammersley said Thursday that commissioners could implement the 1.5 cent increase to continue the path of incremental increases started last […]

Budget Corrections Bill Would Allow Durham-Orange Light Rail to Move Forward

The technical corrections bill passed both chambers of the legislature and now awaits the signature of Governor Roy Cooper to become law.**** After appearing, once again, to be targeted by the North Carolina General Assembly, it seems as though the Durham-Orange Light Rail project has fought off its impending death. The 17.7-mile light rail […]

Budget Proposal Targets Durham-Orange Light Rail Funding

North Carolina Republican legislators unveiled their budget proposal late on Memorial Day. Durham Democratic state senator Floyd McKissick said that in three lines the budget “placed in jeopardy the future funding of the light rail system between Durham and Chapel Hill.” McKissick and other local elected officials have derided the budget and the process Republican […]

Orange County Commissioners Discussing Education Funding Thursday Night

Orange County manager Bonnie Hammersley is proposing a $174 increase in per-pupil funding in her recommended budget. But that recommendation still falls short of what each school district in the county is requesting. Hammersley is proposing a total of $109.1 million for the county’s two districts – Orange County Schools and Chapel Hill – Carrboro […]

Governor Rolls Out School Safety Funding Pitch at Cedar Ridge High School

Governor Roy Cooper was shuffling through the hallways and offices of Cedar Ridge High School on Thursday, meeting with school support personnel – counselors, the school nurse. Cooper said these were vital roles for public education in North Carolina. “Often, people who could make more money doing something else,” Cooper said, “decide they want to […]

Orange County Tax Rate Down After Property Revaluation in Recommended Budget

The budgeting process for Orange County is underway. The tax rate in the county is going down under the proposed budget put forward by county manager Bonnie Hammersley presented to the Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday night. But there will still be some residents who see their overall tax bill go up, even under […]

›