Macon County Manager Warren Cabe presented a budget to county commissioners last week that satisfies their wish to avoid a tax increase, but amid rising costs and ongoing capital improvements, some departments will likely come away with less than they’re hoping for. 

Last year’s budget came in just over $70 million, and this year’s proposal would drop it just a bit to around $68 million, but Cabe noted that he expects grant money to supplement that number as it has in past years. 

Haywood County’s proposed fiscal year 2026-27 budget carries the kind of consequence that will land in every mailbox and on every mortgage statement across the county — a 7-cent property tax increase, pushing the rate from $0.55 to $0.62 per $100 of assessed valuation.

For fiscal year 2026-2027, Haywood County Schools is requesting an additional $3 million in annual county funding. 

The ask is driven by several overlapping needs — offsetting state and federal cuts, avoiding fund balance appropriations, covering a $400,000 increase in annual operating costs, financing salary raises and supporting continued program needs — all while facing a budget shortfall between $700,000 and $740,000. 

Macon County’s proposed Fiscal Year 2025-26 budget maintains the current tax rate, even as county revenues are projected to increase slightly. 

“Revenues are slightly higher due to an increase in the taxable value of properties,” said County Manager Warren Cabe in his first ever budget presentation to county commissioners.

The proposed Jackson County budget for fiscal year 2025-26 contains a six cent decrease in the millage rate, and yet, for most people in Jackson County, property tax bills will increase significantly. 

In the second split budget vote in the last four years, Waynesville’s Town Council approved a property tax hike of 3.98 cents to address mounting capital needs and maintain competitive employee compensation packages meant to reduce costly turnover. 

Commissioners voted unanimously June 3 to accept Haywood County Manager Bryant Morehead’s proposed annual budget which, in spite of inflation, forthcoming debt for a jail expansion and the loss of a major employer last year, contains no tax increase.

A rare public impasse by Council Members over the Town of Waynesville’s proposed budget will leave things unsettled for the time being, foreshadowing prolonged negotiations over an all-but-certain tax increase. 

Waynesville’s town government has kept taxes as low as possible for as long as possible, but is quickly finding truth in the adage, “It’s easier to keep up than to catch up” — over the years, capital spending hasn’t kept up with the town’s needs, and now taxpayers may be looking at a costly game of catch-up. 

Capital needs are at the center of Macon County’s budget process for fiscal year 2024-25 and the county is in a good position to fund several big-ticket items. Even so, commissioners are considering another look at the quarter-cent sales tax option.