Two people walking on a greenway surrounded by trees

FY2026 Adopted Budget

Mecklenburg County's FY2026 operating budget totals $2.54 billion.

Mecklenburg County's FY2026 operating budget totals $2.54 billion, an increase of $39.9 million or 1.6% over the FY2025 operating budget. The budget sets a property tax rate of 49.27 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. That represents a 0.96-cent increase in the tax rate over FY2025.

Highlights

  • The Adopted Budget includes $13.8 million of reductions and eliminations
    to non-mandated programs to help limit increases to the tax rate.
     
  • Fully funds CMS budget request with $28.3 million in new operating funding, and $33 million in total for capital maintenance (a total of $893 million overall)
     
  • Expands Meck PreK with $3.4 million for 10 classrooms, wrap-care, and teacher pay
     
  • Fully funds Medic request with $7.9 million in fund balance for ambulances
    and equipment, enabling Medic to expand their staff by 78
  • Provides $2 million and 15 new positions for the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library
     
  • Increases funding for Adult Day Care & In-home Aide by $2.3 million
     
  • Provides a 3% salary increase for County employees and performance-based pay up to 5%

Board Priority Investments

$44.0 million

Education

$11.4 million

Health Equity and Wellness

$6.3 million

Services for Seniors

$1.7 million

Workforce Development

$1.3 million

Environmental Stewardship

$215,000

Economic Development

Reducing Racial Disparities

Race is interwoven into the Board Priorities through policies, practices, and procedures that seek to analyze and eliminate the root causes of racial disparities. The goal is for all people in Mecklenburg County will have an equitable opportunity to thrive in the community.

Funding Areas

Where the Money Comes From
Revenue AreasAmount
Property Tax$1.49 billion or 58.7%
Sales Tax$503.9 million or 19.8%
Charges, Fees, Licenses$190.8 million or 7.5%
Other$144.0 million or 5.7%
State and Federal$141.7 million or 5.6%
Unincorporated Public Safety Service Districts$38.8 million or 1.5%
Appropriated Fund Balance$30.7 million or 1.2%

 

Where the Money Goes
Expense AreasAmount
Education and Literacy$1.10 billion or 42.3%
Health and Human Services$429.6 million or 16.9%
Government Facilities$267.1 million or 10.5%
Parks, Environmental and Land Use$255.4 million or 10.0%
Justice and Public Safety$214.2 million or 8.4%
Pass-Through$113.0 million or 4.4%
Administrative and internal Support$109.3 million or 4.3%
Financial Services$49.4 million or 1.9%
Other$28.5 million or 1.1%

 

Revenue Categories

Expense Categories

FY2026 - 2030 Capital Improvement Plan

The FY2026-FY2030 Capital Improvement Plan totals $4.57B, including $2.33 billion to support
projects slated to begin FY2026-FY2030.

  • CMS

    Back to school. Multiracial pupils of primary school near school bus. Happy children ready to study.

    $2.4 billion

  • CPCC

    Multi-ethnic audience sitting in a row and making notes while listening to presentation at conference hall. Selective focus. Horizontal shot. Side view

    $280.9 million

  • County Facilities

    CRC entrance at Valerie C. Woodard Center

    $1.9 billion

Budget Resources