Wake Forest residents will get their say on the town’s proposed fiscal year 2026-27 budget next Tuesday at 6 p.m. in the Town Hall board chambers. Town Manager Kip Padgett rolled out the spending blueprint to the Board of Commissioners on May 5, setting the stage for how the town plans to spend money from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027. The proposal keeps some pocketbook items steady while adding staff and investing in downtown and watershed work.
Budget Highlights: Taxes, Trash And Fees
The spending plan keeps the town property tax rate at $0.42 per $100 of assessed value and holds the vehicle fee at $30. Residents would see their monthly residential solid waste bill tick up by $1 to $25. The proposal also trims the downtown municipal service district levy from $0.14 to $0.13 per $100 and leaves Wake Forest Power’s residential energy charge and the stormwater utility fee structure unchanged. Those details are laid out by the town ahead of the hearing, according to Town of Wake Forest.
Staffing And Local Projects
The draft budget calls for 25 new full-time positions, including 14 firefighters, along with funding for a slate of planning and capital projects. Among them: a Downtown Transportation Study, a Five-Year Strategic Plan refresh, S-Line design work, Ailey Young House design, and improvements to the Toms Creek watershed. Town officials have posted a three-minute overview video and a short clip on Facebook that breaks down the proposal. Those items are summarized on Engage Wake Forest.
How To Weigh In And What Happens Next
Residents can show up and speak in person at the May 19 meeting or submit comments online, and the town says all feedback will be shared with the Board of Commissioners and added to the public record. The meeting starts at 6 p.m. in the Town Hall Board Chambers at 301 S. Brooks St. The Board is slated to consider final budget approval on June 16. For full documents and the overview video, visit the town’s budget page at Town of Wake Forest.
