By Jordan Meadows
Staff Writer
The Wake County Board of Commissioners approved a $2.1 billion budget for fiscal year 2026 on Monday night in a 6-1 vote, setting in motion a plan that increases public school funding while making cuts to affordable housing and emergency services.
Commissioner Shinica Thomas cast the lone vote against the budget, warning that the county is being forced into a “false and dangerous choice” between funding education and maintaining critical services, such as EMS and affordable housing, “and one we should refuse,” Thomas continued.
At the heart of the new budget is a $40.3 million increase for the Wake County Public School System (WCPSS), bringing the district’s total operating budget to nearly $743 million. This meets the full funding request from the Board of Education and Superintendent Robert Taylor. However, even with the funding hike, WCPSS leaders have said they will still need to make difficult cuts due to inflation, rising costs, and the opening of four new schools next year.
To make up the difference and meet the school district’s request, commissioners slashed $1 million from the Housing Opportunity Fund, which supports land purchases for affordable housing, particularly in high-cost urban areas. The HOF will now produce an estimated 1,250 units instead of 2,500 over its 15-year span.
Commissioner Safiyah Jackson urged the local business community to help fill the gap. Several commissioners also criticized the North Carolina General Assembly for underfunding public schools. The budget also cut 12 of 25 proposed new EMS positions, redirecting $780,000 away from emergency medical services.
Commissioner Vickie Adamson acknowledged the difficulty of the tradeoffs, stating, “Cutting housing and EMS is painful… I would not be sitting here in this seat today had it not been for strong public education.”
The new budget raises the county’s property tax rate to 51.71 cents per $100 of assessed value—an increase of 0.36 cents over the current rate. This includes a 0.25-cent increase previously approved by voters to fund a $142 million library bond and an additional 0.11-cent hike added during the latest budget negotiations. The property tax increase will vary based on location. Residents in unincorporated areas and the Town of Wendell will also see a 1.5-cent increase in the Fire Tax District rate to fund pay raises for firefighters and improvements to aging fire stations.
The library bond, approved by voters last fall, will fund the construction of five new libraries and renovations or expansions for nine others over the next decade. While the budget also includes pay raises for county employees—ranging from 1% to 3.5% for its 5,000 workers—this marks the smallest increase in staff compensation since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Despite these investments, many county leaders expressed concern about the overall direction of funding and voiced frustration with federal and state governments for not providing adequate support for public education and essential services. Vice Chair Don Mial warned, “We are at a breaking point, and we cannot sustain this.”
The 2026 budget reflects a county grappling with how to meet growing demands in education, housing, and public safety. Commissioners say that unless the funding structure changes, these kinds of painful tradeoffs may become the norm. The budget takes effect July 1, 2025, and runs through June 30, 2026.
