2026 2027 FY Budget - Public Comment

[Lynn Nilssen]

Dear Commissioners, For the public record, below are my public comments made at the My 12, 2026 meeting on the FY 2026-2027 budget. 

I’m here to talk about why raising the property tax by one-third of one percent is not such a bad thing and why it’s become necessary at this point in time and what can be done to shift the ever growing tax burden from local governments.

The County Manager’s proposed FY 2026–27 budget includes a 3.75-cent property tax which equals one-third of one percent increase. For a $500,000 home, that amounts to $187 dollars per year. In return, those dollars help sustain the schools, emergency services, libraries, parks, transit, and public infrastructure that make Orange County a functioning and desirable community.  For Households with higher incomes this increase is manageable — especially when weighed against what is at stake if we fail to fund essential services adequately. I appreciate that the County provides property tax relief for low-income homeowners and while it still doesn’t cover the entire need it helps. That is why I’m asking you to use your platform as elected officials to lobby the NCGA for meaningful Property Tax Reform. 

The most recent round of property re-evaluations represented an unprecedented average increase of 52% in property values in the county fueled by the pandemic and historically low interest rates. Those kinds of increases are an anomaly, not the norm. Gird Your Loins: Orange County is Sending Property Revaluation Notices Soon. However, because of our limited tax base, Orange County relies more heavily on property taxes than neighboring communities to fund public schools and the local government services residents depend on every day. So as our commissioners you are left with a tough choice, if you refuse to raise revenue how do you provide your constituents with strong schools, safe neighborhoods, reliable emergency response, senior and family support and maintain our infrastructure? It’s like refusing necessary medical care and then arguing over which body part you can afford to lose.

 
Residents deserve clear communication about why local budgets are under increasing strain. The County’s own budget documents note that state-level decisions and proposed legislation are limiting local governments’ ability to respond to changing needs and fund local priorities. As you consider this year’s budget, I encourage you to be transparent with the public about those state level decisions.

Like This regressive tax policy enacted by the legislative majority that phases out both the corporate income tax and the personal income and disproportionately benefits wealthy individuals and large corporations rather than average North Carolinians resulting in a loss of 18 billion dollars annually. Jan. 1: Tax cuts for the rich in NC — still no state budget

And our schools are suffering too. Instead of funding our schools and paying our educators a living wage the state legislative majority has decided that tax breaks to corporations and the wealthy are more important, landing NC 50th in the US for school funding effort which ranks state's GDP to its per pupil funding.

 
 In closing, I thank you for your efforts to keep our local government functioning despite the circumstances and I’m also asking each of you to take action and use your platform and your position as our local elected representatives to speak clearly about how this regressive tax is harming local governments and forcing counties into impossible budget choices. Silence only normalizes these policies and shifts more responsibility onto local taxpayers. Leadership means standing with your constituents, and fighting alongside them for the resources our communities need.

Thank you. Lynn Nilssen - Public School Strong of Orange County

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