Mecklenburg County Manager Dena R. Diorio presented a recommended budget of $2.5 billion for Fiscal Year 2026 to the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners on May 14, 2025. This budget represents a 1.6% increase over the current fiscal year’s operating budget and proposes a tax rate of 49.27 cents per $100 of assessed valuation, which is a rise of 0.96 cents.
The budget aims to address several broad goals such as funding programs that align with the Board’s priorities, maintaining service levels amidst declining revenues, making prudent financial decisions, and reducing discretionary funding by $13.8 million to limit tax rate increases.
A significant focus of the FY2026 budget is on protection and service during uncertain times, emphasizing the safeguarding of employees, essential services, and the county’s financial stability as revenue growth slows compared to expenses.
New funding allocations include $65 million directed towards education, health equity and wellness, senior services, workforce development, environmental stewardship, and economic development. Specifically in education, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools will receive an additional $28 million for operational funding mainly aimed at teacher salaries.
Central Piedmont Community College is set to receive an increase in both operating funds and capital maintenance support totaling $5.3 million. MECK Pre-K will gain $3.4 million for expansion purposes.
Further allocations are made for library services ($3 million), Medic ($7.9 million), child and family services ($4.7 million), community support services ($1.7 million), park operations ($1.6 million), facility management ($4.8 million), assessor preparations ($1 million), criminal justice services ($468,000), employee investments ($38.7 million), IT cost increases ($2.3 million), economic development events sponsorships ($125,000), election costs ($5.5 million) and fund balance utilization for one-time expenses amounting to $30 million.
The public hearing for resident input on this budget is scheduled for May 22 at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center with further actions planned including a straw vote session on May 29 and final adoption on June 3.
For more information or to view related materials online visit Budget.MeckNC.gov or Watch.MeckNC.gov.
