Buncombe County commissioners approved the budget for the next fiscal year on Tuesday night, the largest in county history. And to support it, they made a decision that will affect the wallets of thousands of residents: raising the taxes.
A budget is the plan that defines how the county spends its money during the year, from schools and firefighters to public health and transportation.
This year, that plan reached $698 million, about 12% more than last year, and to cover it, the commissioners They increased all three tax rates under their control.
The changes will primarily affect the homeownersBut they will also impact those who live outside the Asheville city limits and pay for the county fire service, as well as families residing within the Asheville city school district.
What does this mean for your tax bill?
Property tax, paid by homeowners, is increasing this year: The county will collect about 10 percent more than last year from this source.
The question for many homeowners now is how much their bill will actually increase. And the number to watch is the new rate: 43,2 cents for every $100 of the home's assessed value, approved along with the new budget.
What does that mean? For example, a house valued at $500,000 would pay about $2,161 a year to the county, not counting other taxes that may apply depending on where it is located.
This year, the county reassessed all properties, as required by the state, and the total value grew by about 43% compared to the previous appraisal, which was done five years ago.
But that increase corresponds to the value of the properties, not to the taxes. What each person pays will depend on three factors: the new assessed value of their home, the rate approved by the commissioners, and whether they live in a district with additional taxes.
That's why the impact won't be the same for everyone: some will see small increases and others, larger ones.
Related: Living in Buncombe is becoming increasingly expensive.
Who will pay additional taxes
The budget also creates a unified fire district for the county , which consolidates the 20 existing districts into a single district. Its new rate, of 11.96 cents per $100 of assessed value, applies to the unincorporated areas of the county, including Biltmore Forest, Montreat, and Woodfin.
Commissioner Drew Ball said that money will be used to strengthen the emergency services.
“This budget allows us to increase the starting salary for many firefighters across the county and increase the number of firefighters on duty. For the public, that means faster response times.”
The families of Asheville City School District However, they will pay a supplemental tax of 8.64 cents for every $100. That tax only applies to those who live within that district and supports those schools.
Related: Charlotte and Mecklenburg approve new budgets: what do they mean for taxpayers' wallets?
Why did Buncombe County's budget increase so much?
“We have a $5 million increase in costs for health insurance "This year. I think that's one of the main factors driving this budget," Commissioner Parker Sloan said.
It's not the only cost that's going up.
Buncombe's budget also includes a 2.71% cost-of-living raise for county employees ($4,8 million). And it subsidizes the decision to reinstate investments the county had cut last year following the passage of [unspecified events]. Helene.
Commissioner Terri Wells emphasized that “we are investing in home repairs to help people recover from the storm and to allow seniors to stay in their homes.”
These investments are part of more than $11.7 million that the budget allocates to community priorities, including nearly $3.4 million for affordable housing.
The new expenses for the county
Sloan argued that some of the budget pressures facing Buncombe County originate outside of local government. “The lack of attention to mental health and medical care from the federal and state governments comes at a cost. And that cost is borne by Buncombe County property tax payers,” he stated.
Commissioner Drew Ball echoed this criticism: “The Big Beautiful Bill, under the guise of saving money, actually shifted many costs to the counties. And we have far fewer tools to try to balance these budgets,” he said.
For Sloan, the consequences ultimately affect local taxpayers. “It doesn’t have to be this way. We can live in a different society where these costs aren’t so high and don’t fall on property tax payers or seniors living on Social Security.”
How will part of the money be spent?
Not all of the budget increase will be allocated to schools or emergency services.
The plan also includes more than $11.7 million for discretionary community investments, including affordable housing, early childhood education, behavioral health, youth programs, and community organizations.
In addition to these investments, the budget includes infrastructure projects, such as two new bases for Emergency Medical Services, the design of a new Emergency Operations Center, and renovations to county libraries.
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A budget that doesn't satisfy everyone
“I don’t think there will ever be a perfect budget. Nor do I think there’s a scenario where everyone will be completely happy,” said Commissioner Martin Moore.
Whitesides also acknowledged that the tax increase in Buncombe may be difficult for some residents, but defended the decision, arguing that the budget seeks to maintain services it considers essential.
“Sure, there’s a little sting with the property tax because we all pay taxes,” he said. “But when you compare the services we receive with what we pay, I think we’re getting the best possible value for the people of Buncombe County.”
Buncombe's budget was approved unanimously and will come into effect on July 1.
>>> See the budget for fiscal year 2027: FY2027 Budget Adoption.
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