Public Hearing Held on Buncombe County’s Proposed FY 2024-25 Budget



Public hearing held on Buncombe County’s proposed fiscal year 2024-25 budget

Asheville, June 5, 2024

Community Bulletin

News release from Buncombe County:

At its June 4 meeting, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners held a public hearing on the proposed FY25 budget. No speakers registered for the public hearing. The FY25 budget across all annual funds is recommended at $628 million. The General Fund, the largest annual fund recommended at $441.9 million, includes:

  • $126 million for education
  • $95 million for public safety
  • $96 million for human services

The recommended budget includes a 4.89% cost of living adjustment for County employees based on a two-year average annual change in the Consumer Price Index – Urban Wage Earners & Clerical Workers. The recommended budget includes 30 new positions in the General Fund and three new positions in the Solid Waste Enterprise Fund.

Figuring a 1% increase in expenditures, the recommended budget includes a $3.7 million operating reduction for County departments from the FY24 amended budget and draws on $10.3 million in savings utilizing personnel strategies. The budget is balanced with an appropriation of $11.7 million of unrestricted fund balance and recommends a property tax rate of 52.35 cents per $100 of assessed property value, an increase of 2.55 above the current rate, generating $13.6 million in additional revenue.

Of that increase, 1.8 cents is for County operations and .75 cents will fund an increase to the local current expense for public K-12 schools. This increase on a home assessed at $400,000 would be an additional $102 in annual property taxes.

Of note, the FY25 recommended budget amounts for annual funds include:

  • General Fund budget of $441,905,358
  • Occupancy Tax Special Revenue Fund budget of $40,000,000
  • 911 Special Revenue Fund budget of $927,067
  • Opioid Settlement Fund budget of $3,314,860
  • Insurance and Benefits Fund budget of $45,222,516

The proposed budget will be voted on by the Board of Commissioners at its June 18 meeting. To view the full budget presentation, click here or go to www.buncombecounty.org/budget.

About Community Bulletin

Mountain Xpress posts selected news and information of local interest as a public service for our readers. To submit press releases and other community material for possible publication, email news@mountainx.com.



Author: HERE Asheville

HERE Asheville

Recent Posts

Leaf Collection Starts Today in Asheville as Fall Season Arrives

Leaf Collection Kicks Off in Asheville! Asheville is buzzing with the sounds of fall! Starting…

4 hours ago

American Ballet Theatre Studio Company to Dazzle Houston with Exciting Performances

Exciting Performances by American Ballet Theatre Studio Company in Houston Houston, get ready for an…

4 hours ago

Asheville Woman’s Amazing Birth Journey During Hurricane Helene

Asheville Woman's Incredible Birth Story Amid Hurricane Helene CHARLOTTE, N.C. — In a harrowing yet…

4 hours ago

Asheville Launches Disaster Repairs Program to Aid Homeowners Affected by Hurricane Helene

Asheville Steps Up to Help Homeowners After Hurricane Helene Asheville, a city known for its…

4 hours ago

Hurricane Helene Recovery Efforts Intensify in Asheville as Community Bands Together

Hurricane Helene Recovery Efforts in Asheville Asheville, N.C. is buzzing with activity as local officials…

4 hours ago

Asheville Addresses Homelessness Challenges Following Tropical Storm Helene

Asheville Ramps Up Efforts to Help the Unhoused Post-Storm Asheville, N.C. - It’s been over…

11 hours ago