Wake County leaders approve $2.1 billion budget with increased WCPSS school funding

Anna Johnson
·2 min read

Wake County public schools will get more money in local funding, and many homeowners can expect higher property tax bills after this year’s property revaluation.

Wake County leaders are increasing the property tax rate in the county manager’s recommended budget to provide $58.3 million in additional local funding to the Wake County Public School System.

But that falls short of the $63.2 million in additional funding that school leaders said they needed.

The Wake County Board of Commissioners approved the budget unanimously Monday evening. Wake County Commissioner Vickie Adamson was excused and absent from the meeting.

This budget debate “felt more painstaking” that previous debates in recent years, said Wake County Vice Chair Susan Evans.

Fast budget facts

  • The $2.1 billion budget is a 10.7% increase over the current year’s budget.

  • The approved property tax rate is 51.35 cents per $100 of assessed property value, or 0.3 cents over the county manager’s proposal. That’s higher than the rate Wake County would have needed to set at 46.36 cents per $100 to maintain the same level of revenue.

  • The current rate is 65.7 cents per $100.

  • The new budget is effective July 1.

WCPSS funding

The Wake County Public School System will get 58.3 million in local funding, or a 9% increase, over the current budget.

The school board’s request would fund 4% raises, institute a $17.75-per hour minimum wage for “non-certified staff” and a $20-per hour minimum wage for bus drivers.

Several WCPSS teachers and employees rallied during the county’s budget public hearings, calling on the elected leaders to fully fund the school board’s request.

School employees should be paid “livable, comparable wages” to those of county workers, said Christina Spears, president of the Wake chapter of the North Carolina Association of Educators.

Many placed blame on the North Carolina General Assembly for not providing enough funding for local schools, but asked local leaders to make up the difference.

“We understand that the state has failed to fulfill its constitutional obligation to fully fund the public educational system instead choosing to invest in private school vouchers with little-to-no-income limit nor oversight and in charter schools with limited oversight,” said Teresa Jones, president of the Wake PTA Council. “But the Wake County Commission is uniquely positioned to ensure that all children within its borders do not suffer from the legislature’s failure to invest in them.”

This article will be updated as more information becomes available.