Holly Springs, NC, Apr. 15, 2026 — Holly Springs officials opened early discussions on the Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27) budget Tuesday night with a clear signal that the town’s financial model is entering a more constrained phase. Revenues are still growing, but more slowly, just as long-term costs tied to parks, public safety, and infrastructure are accelerating.
At the center of the conversation was property tax revenue, which accounts for roughly half of the town’s general fund. That operating budget, which totals about $60 million within a roughly $117 million overall budget, supports day-to-day services such as police, fire protection, parks, planning, and administration. The ability to maintain those services depends heavily on steady year-over-year revenue growth.
Staff reported that growth in that revenue stream is coming in about $1.7 million below what had been typical in recent years. It is not a decline, but it represents a meaningful slowdown. Where Holly Springs had previously seen annual growth in the 6 percent to 8 percent range, projections now sit closer to 4.5 percent. Without recent economic development gains, that number could be similar to the 1 percent to 2 percent growth experienced by peer communities across Wake County…