Haywood County manager proposes 7¢ property-tax increase to shore up schools, public safety and mandated costs

County manager Bridal presented a recommended FY2026-27 general fund budget on May 4 that includes a proposed 7¢ increase in the property tax rate to address rising personnel costs, public-safety needs and reductions in restricted intergovernmental revenue.

Bridal told the board the proposal is designed to reduce reliance on fund balance while covering mandated costs and anticipated service growth. "This budget does include a 7¢ tax increase," he said, and added the county plans to use about $12.1 million in fund balance to avoid a larger immediate hike.

Why it matters: Commissioners and staff said the county faces several compounding pressures. Bridal pointed to higher health-insurance costs, a near-term staffing need tied to a new jail addition and a loss of SNAP administrative reimbursement that together drive the need for additional revenue. He also noted the county's taxable valuation is growing only modestly and that some increases reflect recovery from recent storms and the closure of a local paper mill.

Public comments at the meeting focused on school funding. Joshua Blight, a Clyde resident and pastor, urged commissioners to fully fund the Haywood County Schools' $3,000,000 request: "We cannot punish our children for a funding lag they didn't create," he said, adding that cuts to support staff and veteran teachers would harm students and long-term local economic development. County staff told commissioners the manager's budget includes $1,254,000 for locally paid school positions, short of the school board's request.

Commissioners framed the decision as difficult but said they must weigh service demands against taxpayer burden. Several members described this as the toughest budget in recent memory, citing a mix of inflationary cost increases, hurricane recovery and the loss of major industrial tax revenue.

Next steps: The manager recommended a public hearing on the proposed budget for May 18 at 5:30 p.m.; commissioners will consider adoption at a June meeting. Bridal and commissioners said workshops or additional meetings remain options before a final vote; state law requires a balanced budget by June 30.

The board did not adopt the budget at the May 4 meeting; the matter will return for public hearing and further consideration.