Board hears FY27 budget overview; staff proposes holding property rates but raising meals tax to 6%

York Countys finance director presented the proposed fiscal-year 2027 budget and the board held multiple public hearings on tax items and fee changes, including a proposed meals tax increase from 4% to 6%.

Nut graf: Teresa Owens said the proposed budget totals about $308 million (all funds less transfers) and that the county is recommending no change to the real-estate tax rate (78 cents) or the personal-property rate, while proposing a 2-percentage-point increase in the meals tax to diversify revenue. Multiple residents urged reconsideration of assessments and called for greater transparency; budget adoption is scheduled for the boards May 5 meeting.

Owens summarized the FY27 proposal and recent adjustments: updated revenue estimates (including higher personal-property and business-license receipts), $200,000 flagged as one-time capital funding tied to an admissions tax option, and modest expenditure adjustments. "The proposed budget includes no changes to the real estate rate or the personal property tax rate," Owens told the board, while noting that the meals tax proposal would raise the local rate from 4% to 6%.

Public commenters raised two consistent themes: concern over rising assessments and a desire for more transparent, regular financial reporting. Leslie Sales asked whether the county could consider alternatives to current assessment practices and urged attention to wage stagnation; Carla Mujeune asked if the board had considered lowering the real-estate rate in response to rising valuations. "We don't mind paying taxes... but our houses are much overinflated right now," Sales said.

Other commenters pressed cost and transparency questions. Steven Romeo urged monthly reporting and formation of a citizen auditing committee; he challenged a perceived headline figure of an 18% increase year-over-year and called for clearer public materials. Board members and staff said most of the budget increase is driven by compensation adjustments intended to retain employees and by capital needs for schools and public safety. The chair and budget staff emphasized that no final votes would be taken tonight and that the formal adoption vote is scheduled for May 5.

On fees, Owens described proposed adjustments to solid-waste and sewer rates (residential flat-rate increases and a new commercial variable component) and explained that public hearings on those items were being held as required by county code.

The board took no votes on the budget tonight; members said they would weigh public input before the May 5 adoption vote and continue to consider tradeoffs between services, employee pay and taxpayer burden.