NEWTON — County Manager Mary Furtado recommended a Fiscal Year 2026/27 budget of $369,702,666, the county said May 11, 2026, with a proposed property-tax rate of 42.35 cents per $100 valuation and a 9.2 percent increase in the total budget.
The recommended budget includes a 2.5-cent tax increase over the current rate, projected to generate about $8.1 million in FY2027. All of that increased revenue is proposed for school construction, part of a strategy to fund about $264 million in near-term facility needs and support future planning, the county said.
The General Fund is $272,648,179 of the total, a 6.4 percent increase. Excluding the school tax increase, General Fund growth is listed at 3.3 percent, driven by public-safety demand and inflation, which the county said can be met at the current tax rate through economic and population growth.
“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.”
Operational items listed:
- Expansion of emergency medical services, including an EMS crew at the Hickory base to keep response times as call volumes rise
- Twelve detention-officer positions (partial year) for a growing inmate population
- New Building Services Official and Tax Property Appraiser positions
- Targeted Social Services and Public Health investments
- A 2 percent increase in per-pupil operational funding, plus capital and technology support, beyond school construction
The county said the proposed rate would remain the lowest in the region.
“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.”
Department and agency hearings were set May 22 at 8 a.m. On May 26 the board was to hold a Southeastern Catawba County Water & Sewer District budget hearing at 6:50 p.m., then a county budget public hearing. Final approval for the county and that district was expected at regular meetings Monday, June 15, beginning at 6:50 p.m. Meetings are in the Board of Commissioners Meeting Room at the Catawba County Justice Center, listed here as 100 Government Drive / 100 Government Center Drive, Newton.
The recommended budget is described as balanced under the Local Government Budget and Fiscal Control Act and GAAP. Documents were posted online and in the County Manager’s Office at 25 Government Center Drive, Newton.
The May 11 notice is a recommendation, not an adopted ordinance, and does not list a commissioner vote.
Official release from Catawba County Government, May 11, 2026. https://www.catawbacountync.gov/news/managers-recommended-budget-invest-in-education-core-services-and-economic-vitality/
