What commissioners approved
The Durham Board of County Commissioners voted unanimously on June 8 to adopt a $1,049,757,411 budget for fiscal year 2026-2027, raising the county property tax rate by 2.5 cents to 57.92 cents per $100 of assessed value. For the owner of a $400,000 home, that works out to about $100 more per year, bringing the county tax bill to $2,316.
The board increased County Manager Claudia Hager's recommended budget by $4.33 million, pushing the total 1.09% above the prior year's spending plan.
Where the money goes
Durham Public Schools is the biggest winner, receiving $239,078,901 in county funding. That is a $14.55 million increase of 6.48% over last year, bringing local per-pupil funding to $5,998.
Durham Technical Community College gets $12,997,305, up $378,644 or 3%. The budget also sets aside $10.16 million in annual Pre-K support. On the public safety side, EMS picks up 10 new full-time employees and the Sheriff's Office gains five reallocated full-time positions. All county employees receive a 2% cost-of-living pay increase.
How the county absorbed the pressure
Slowing revenue growth forced tradeoffs. Most departments absorbed 2% budget reductions and were asked to reallocate within existing funds before requesting new money. The county adds a net of only 8 new positions in FY 2026-2027, keeping personnel growth tighter than recent years by reviewing vacancies and realigning existing roles.
The new fiscal year begins July 1.