{"id":59,"date":"2026-05-12T05:05:13","date_gmt":"2026-05-12T05:05:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/raleighmovingnews.com\/?p=59"},"modified":"2026-05-12T05:05:13","modified_gmt":"2026-05-12T05:05:13","slug":"what-durham-countys-1-billion-proposed-budget-with-tax-rate-increase-would-prioritize-in-2026-2027","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/raleighmovingnews.com\/?p=59","title":{"rendered":"What Durham County\u2019s $1 billion proposed budget with tax rate increase would prioritize in 2026-2027"},"content":{"rendered":"
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DURHAM, N.C. (WNCN) \u2014 Durham County residents are in for a two-cent tax rate increase in the next fiscal year, if the proposed budget unveiled Monday night gets final approval in June.<\/p>

Read more Tax increases, internal cost-cutting, upgrades proposed in Rocky Mount\u2019s 2026-27 budget<\/a><\/p>\n

At the regular meeting of the Durham County Commissioners on Monday, Durham County Manager Claudia Hager made the presentation of the budget, totaling $1,045,423,704. This final price tag reflects a $7 million increase from the prior year.<\/p>\n

With a two-cent hike, that would bring the county-wide tax rate to 57.42 cents per $100 valuation.<\/p>\n

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Durham County Commissioners and meeting attendees listen on as County Manager Claudia Hager presents the proposed budget on May 11, 2026.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

According to Hager, the focal areas with this budget were education, public safety and maintaining core services. Here\u2019s a closer look at how that breaks down in taxpayer dollars.<\/p>\n

Education: Millions more allocated to public schools<\/h2>\n

Looking at the budget as a whole, more than one-fifth (22.5%) is earmarked for Durham Public Schools. With a total investment of $235 million, this would mark the sixth consecutive year the commissioners have increased school funding by more than $10 million.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe local per pupil expenditure increases to $5,929, up $368 per pupil, keeping DPS as one of the top five locally funded school systems in the state,\u201d a release from the city on the budget said Monday.<\/p>\n

In addition to DPS, the education investments of the proposed budget also includes:<\/p>

Read more Wake County residents voice concerns on proposed 2026-27 fiscal budget<\/a><\/p>\n