Catawba County Manager Mary Furtado has officially delivered a recommended budget proposal for the fiscal year 2025/26, with a detailed plan now accessible to the public. The proposed financial outline stands at $345,000,797. Retaining the region's lowest property tax rate at $0.3985 per $100 of valuation, the budget firmly plants itself as the eighth least in North Carolina, signaling an ongoing effort to uphold the area's economic competitiveness. Catawba County's website offers full access to both the suggested figures and their accompanying documents.
The uptick to this year's budget, a rise of 6.9 percent, is primarily attributed to essential enhancement in infrastructure sectors such as solid waste, water and sewer, and school facilities, alongside adjustments to contend with inflation. Furtado's proposal earmarks a general fund budget of $257,290,703, marking an increase of 3.2 percent, as detailed in the statement by Catawba County. This budget seeks to strategically grow along with the community, to sustainably cover the necessary county services while also putting aside funds to aggressively further the County's economic development goals.
Reflecting the Commissioners' strategic plan, the budget is finely tuned to not just meet but exceed the needs of a community on the rise. With a purposeful allocation of funds aiming to create market-ready industrial sites, the budget builds upon a framework to entice private tax base investments and requisite supportive infrastructure. "This budget reflects the Commissioners’ priority of maintaining strong core services in a growing community that values a business-friendly environment characterized by stability and predictability in the cost of government," Furtado told Catawba County. Furthermore, the investment in education sees an increase in funding for both operating expenses and capital projects within schools driven by an ongoing escalation in student enrollment figures, necessitating collaboration with the county's three school systems to cement long-term educational facility plans.
Competitive county staff compensation is another cornerstone of the budget, ensuring the operational excellence that Catawba County residents have come to expect is preserved. Doubling down on conservative fiscal stewardship, the prepared budget remains adaptable for future program and service modifications as the community’s needs evolve. The Board of Commissioners will further examine the budget during a workshop on May 21, followed by public hearings slated for May 22, leading up to an eventual final budget approval on June 2, during the regular meeting. All sessions, to be hosted at the Catawba County Justice Center, are open to the public.
