Raleigh, NC, May 7, 2026 — Wake County leaders unveiled a proposed $2.28 billion fiscal year 2027 budget during Monday night’s commissioners’ meeting that would increase property taxes by 2 cents while expanding investments in education, public safety, and social services amid what county officials described as mounting structural pressure on local government finances.
The proposed budget would raise the county’s property tax rate from 51.71 cents to 53.71 cents per $100 valuation. County Manager David Ellis said the owner of a $450,000 home would see about a $90 increase in their annual tax bill under the proposal.
But the larger message from Ellis’ presentation (document) was not simply that costs are rising. Instead, county leaders argued Wake County is increasingly being forced to absorb financial responsibilities they believe should be funded by the state, while simultaneously facing an erosion of its property tax base…