Catawba County News

Manager's Recommended Budget Invest in Education, Core Services, and Economic Vitality

Published: May 11, 2026

 Catawba County Manager Mary Furtado recommended a Fiscal Year 2026/27 budget of $369,702,666, reflecting a proposed property tax rate of 42.35 cents per $100 valuation and an overall 9.2 percent increase in the total budget.

The recommended budget incorporates a tax increase of 2.5 cents over the current rate, projected to generate approximately $8.1 million in FY2027. All the increased revenue is proposed to go towards school construction, part of a strategy to establish a reliable funding stream to address approximately $264 million in near-term facility needs and support future planning.

The General Fund, comprising $272,648,179 of the total recommended budget, is proposed to increase 6.4 percent over the current year. Excluding the tax increase dedicated to schools, the General Fund budget grew 3.3 percent, driven by increased public safety service demands and inflationary pressures. These needs can be met within the current tax rate through revenue derived from continued economic and population growth across the County.

The recommended budget is guided by the Board of Commissioners’ strategic plan, which prioritizes investments in quality of life as a foundation for economic competitiveness and long-term community success. “As Catawba County continues to grow, this recommended budget reflects a balanced approach to sustaining the services our residents rely on today while planning responsibly for the future,” Furtado said in her budget message. “Our spending is aligned with our priorities.  We are addressing current commitments, responding to increasing demand, and making targeted investments that support both quality of life and long-term economic vitality.”

In addition to the proposed tax rate increase, the recommended budget includes targeted operational investments in areas focused on the services residents and businesses rely on every day, like emergency response, public safety, and building services:

• Expansion of emergency medical services, including addition of an EMS crew at the Hickory base to maintain response times as call volumes continue to rise;
• Addition of 12 detention officer positions (partial year) to address a growing inmate population;
• New Building Services Official and Tax Property Appraiser positions to support continued economic growth;
• Targeted investments in Social Services and Public Health to sustain service levels in response to growing community needs; and
• Continued investment in public education beyond school construction, including a 2 percent increase in per pupil operational funding and ongoing support for capital and technology needs.

Catawba County’s proposed tax rate would remain the lowest in the region, maintaining the County’s long-standing position of fiscal competitiveness while supporting investments necessary to move the community forward.

“We are not deferring today’s needs to tomorrow,” Furtado said. “This recommendation is designed to meet current service expectations while building the capacity and flexibility to respond to what’s ahead, including continued growth, evolving service demands, and the importance of taking care of our employees who deliver these services every day.”

Budget hearings and final budget adoption will take place over the next several weeks in the Board of Commissioners Meeting Room at the Catawba County Justice Center, located at 100 Government Drive in Newton. The Board of Commissioners will hold hearings with County departments and community agencies on May 22 beginning at 8:00 a.m.  On Tuesday, May 26, the Board will convene a Southeastern Catawba County Water & Sewer District budget hearing at 6:50 p.m., followed by a County budget public hearing. The Board is expected to approve a final budget for both the County and the Southeastern Catawba County Water & Sewer District during its regular meetings Monday, June 2, which begin at 6:50 p.m.

The workshop, hearings, and regular meeting are all open to the public and will be held in the Board of Commissioners Meeting Room at the Catawba County Justice Center, 100 Government Center Drive, Newton, NC 28658.

The full recommended budget and supporting documents are available for viewing online HERE, and in person in the County Manager’s Office at 25 Government Center Drive in Newton.

The recommended budget is balanced and prepared in accordance with the Local Government Budget and Fiscal Control Act and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.