Board of County Commissioners Adopts $2.5 Billion Operating Budget for FY2026

2024-2026 County Commissioners inside the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Meeting Chamber. Left to Right: Commissioner Meier, Commissioner Powell, Commissioner Rodriguez-McDowell, Commissioner Townsend-Ingram, Commissioner Jerrell, Commissioner Altman, Commissioner Dunlap, Commissioner Griffin and Commissioner Leake.

The Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, adopted Mecklenburg County’s budget for Fiscal Year 2026.

The operating budget totals $2.5 billion, an increase of $39.5 million or 1.6% over the current FY2025 operating budget. The budget sets a property tax rate of 49.27 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. That represents a 0.96-cent increase in the tax rate over FY2025.

The FY2026 budget works to achieve several broad goals:

  • Fund programs and services that align with the Board’s priorities. That includes $65 million in new funding for economic development, education, environmental stewardship, health equity and wellness, services for seniors, workforce development, and reducing racial disparities.
  • Maintain exceptional service in an environment of falling revenues and reduced resources.
  • Demonstrate prudent decisions to protect Mecklenburg County’s financial strength.
  • Strengthen Mecklenburg County through investments that build resiliency and ensure a positive impact on everyone. 
  • Reduce or eliminate $13.8 million in discretionary funding to limit an increase of the tax rate. 

Education

The FY2026 budget fully funds the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education’s requested increase of $28 million. That is a 4.4% increase for total Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools operating funding of $666.1 million. The increase will primarily supplement teacher salaries.

  • $9.9 million for salary increases for locally funded staff.
  • $8.3 million to address below-market salaries and increase compensation relative to years of service.
  • $8.1 million to increase in local supplements. 
  • $2 million to fund the second year of a four-year plan to provide students with the technology or devices needed to support their learning. 
  • $33 million in capital spending for repairs and maintenance of existing facilities.

Central Piedmont Community College

From advanced manufacturing to healthcare to computer technology, Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC) is the first choice of many residents who are working toward economic mobility and a successful future, and a key partner in addressing Mecklenburg County’s workforce development priority. The FY2026 budget allocates:

  • $1.7 million in additional operating funding, a 3.5% increase over last year.
  • $3.6 million to fully fund CPCC’s capital maintenance request.

MECK Pre-K

MECK Pre-K is Mecklenburg County’s signature initiative in education, providing a high-quality pre-K program for all four-year-olds at no cost to families. Since its launch in 2018, MECK Pre-K has helped thousands of children build strong foundations for their educational journey. The budget allocates an additional $3.4 million to fund 10 new MECK Pre-K classrooms and other expenses.

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library

  • $2 million to add 15 library branch positions and support planning for the opening of the new Main Library.
  •  $1 million for collections, including $750,000 of new, ongoing funding. 

Medic

  • $7.9 million to fund Medic’s request for additional ambulances and equipment, which will enable Medic to increase its staffing by 78 positions.

Child, Family, and Adult Services

  • $1.4 million to annualize the operating costs for the Youth and Family Services emergency shelter.
  • $2.3 million to expand in-home aide subsidies to serve an additional 60 clients, and to expand adult day care to serve an additional 50 clients.
  • $416,000 in onetime funding for additional vehicles.
  • $357,000 to increase meal, guardianship and interpreting services.
  • $250,000 to support phase one of the implementation of the Behavioral Health Strategic Plan.
  • $226,000 for three new social workers within Adult Protective Services.

Community Support Services

  • $1.1 million to annualize the operating costs for Forest Point Place permanent supportive housing for seniors.
  • $464,000 for housing placement and navigation, and a subsidy increase for Keeping Families Together.
  • $75,000 to fund new locations for homeless meal services.
  • $60,000 in onetime funding for Hearts for the Invisible Charlotte to complete an ARPA-funded program.

Park and Recreation

  • $996,000 to fund the operations of newly opened greenway and park amenities
  • $355,000 for an increase in contracted mowing services for County properties
  • $261,000 for three new, full-time employees to support existing demand for park services

Asset and Facility Management

  • $3.6 million to increase security screening at County facilities and fund the growing cost of contracted guard services.
  • $1.2 million in funding for facility maintenance contract increases and increased utility costs.

County Assessor

  • $1 million to prepare for the FY2027 property revaluation.

Criminal Justice Services

  • $291,000 in state-driven salary increases for support staff and court officials.
  • $177,000 in onetime funding for court files and jury management system.

Information Technology

  • $2.3 million for cost increases associated with technology, systems, software, and other IT-related services.

Elections

  • $5.5 million for the growing cost of conducting elections.

Economic Development

  • $125,000 to provide an event sponsorship for Charlotte Pride.

Nonprofits

Nonprofits are the beating heart of Charlotte-Mecklenburg, providing services that make our community a better place to live such as affordable housing, literacy, health care, career readiness, and much more. The FY2026 budget continues more than $53 million in funding to a wide variety of nonprofit partners that offer services to address the Board of County Commissioners’ priorities.

  • $14.3 million for more than 20 organizations that work to address homelessness and housing, such as Legal Aid of N.C., the Salvation Army, Roof Above, the Relatives, United Way of Greater Charlotte, and others.
  • $12.5 million for 16 organizations that address the Board’s mental and behavioral health priorities, such as Anuvia Prevention and Recovery Center, Promise Resource Network, Teen Health Connection, Alliance Health, and others.
  • $9 million for the Arts and Science Council, plus nearly $1 million in additional arts funding.
  • $3.1 million to more than 30 organizations that work to reduce or eliminate health disparities, such as the Cabarrus Rowan Community Health Center, Care Ring, InReach, RAIN Charlotte, and others.
  • $2.6 million for Crisis Assistance Ministry.
  • $1.6 million for Unified Workforce Development.

Investments in People

Mecklenburg County has more than 6,000 employees serving 1.2 million residents every day. The budget invests $38.7 million in new funding for employees.

  • $15.7 million for a 3% across-the-board pay increase. 
  • $11.4 million for a performance-based pay increase, up to 5%. 
  • $5.3 million for an expected 8.75% increase in medical premiums.
  • $3.3 million for the County’s contribution to the Local Government Employee Retirement System.
  • $389,000 for law enforcement for special separation pay.

Fund Balance

Mecklenburg County’s fund balance is the primary resource for unexpected or emergency situations. Use of dollars from fund balance is restricted to onetime, nonrecurring costs, and has helped fund many new initiatives that address the Board priorities. Fund balance is estimated to be $96.1 million over the policy minimum at the end of FY2025. The FY2026 budget utilizes $30.66 million in fund balance for onetime expenses.

All FY2026 budget presentations and meetings can viewed at Watch.MeckNC.gov. All budget materials and more information are available at Budget.MeckNC.gov. 

The Fiscal Year 2026 budget will take effect July 1, 2025.