June 5. The new Mecklenburg County FY2025 operating budget totals $2.5 billion, an increase of $140 million or 5.9% over the current FY2024 operating budget. The budget sets a county property tax rate of 48.31 cents per $100 of assessed valuation.
Broad goals
—Fund programs and services that align with the Board’s priorities, including early childhood development, educational attainment, environmental stewardship, health access, housing insecurity, workforce development, and racial disparities.
—Maintain exceptional service in an environment of falling revenues and reduced resources.
—Demonstrate prudent decisions to protect Mecklenburg County’s financial strength.
—Strengthen Mecklenburg County through investments that build resiliency and ensure a positive impact on everyone.
Operating Budget
The FY2025 budget maintains current services, invests in Board priorities, and funds our critical partners, all while minimizing the financial impact on taxpayers. This is amid a period of shrinking revenues and the expiration of pandemic-era funding.
Board Priorities
The FY2025 budget includes a total of $153 million in new funding for the Board of County Commissioners’ priorities:
Health Access
Housing Insecurity
Educational Attainment
Workforce Development
Environmental Stewardship
Early Childhood Development
Reducing Racial Disparities
Health Access
The budget includes $11 million in new resources related to health access.
$2.8 million for Medic fleet replacement (12 ambulances and technology).
$2.0 million to support the Katie Blessing Center for Pediatric Behavioral Health.
$1.5 million for Boundary Street Advisors to address food deserts.
$820,000 for Youth and Family Services emergency shelter.
$266,000 for a dental mobile unit supported by a dentist and dental hygienist.
$100,000 for the Save a Smile program which helps uninsured pediatric patients.
$350,000 for increased costs of vaccines in the immunization program.
$450,000 for more temporary medical staff to help new Medicaid patients.
$250,000 for a one-time contribution to the capital campaign for Charlotte is Home Center to provide legal and healthcare services to refugee & immigrant populations.
$250,000 for contracted interpreting to support growing service needs.
$220,000 to provide fresh food at the Community Resource Center pantries, increasing cost for food a congregate meal and mobile market sites, and a position to support the mobile market.
$150,000 for Pat’s Place to increase service at the Child Advocacy Center.
$84,000 for a health program supervisor for the interpreter team.
$30,000 for increased stipends for Nursing Home Advisory Board members.
Housing Insecurity
The budget includes $16.9 million in new funding to help residents achieve housing security.
$14.7 million one-time affordable housing fund allocations for A Home for All and $2.6 million for critical home repair.
$1 million for six-months operating for Forest Pointe Place permanent supportive housing.
$537,000 for NOAH project payments and administration.
$280,000 for re-entry housing agreements that were initiated with ARPA funding.
$200,000 increase for Legal Aid of NC to serve and additional 200 clients.
$98,000 contract increases for Roof Above.
Educational Attainment
The FY2025 budget includes $46.4 million in additional operating funding for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. Of that amount, 65% will go directly to employees, including:
$10.2 million for salary increases for locally funded staff.
$7.4 million to increase supplements with a focus on more tenured teachers.
$13.8 million to begin raising minimum salaries to $20 per hour, which includes $4 million in one-time bonuses.
$33 million for repairs and maintenance of existing facilities, $10 million over historical allocations.
Additional dollars for support charter school enrollment, utility increases, opening of two new schools, cyber security, and new devices for students.
Workforce Development
From advanced manufacturing to healthcare to computer technology, Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC) is the first choice of many residents who are working toward economic mobility and a successful future, and a key partner in addressing Mecklenburg County’s workforce development priority.
The budget includes:
$2.1 million in additional operating funding for CPCC.
$6.8 million in capital maintenance, including $3 million in one-time funding.
The County is further investing in workforce development with:
$844,000 million to continue the MeckSuccess pilot program, which provides a two-generation approach for education, job readiness, and other services to help achieve economic mobility.
$683,000 to continue education & employment trips that were initiated with ARPA funds.
$185,000 to continue the PIVOT internship program in northern Mecklenburg County that creates pathways for high school students in manufacturing.
$50,000 for the Office of Economic Development’s Career Expo for job readiness training and career workshops.
The budget also includes $5.4 million to advance workforce development through the Arts and Culture plan. The Arts and Culture Plan is a comprehensive approach to provide a stable funding stream that enables artists and creatives to practice their passion, earn a living wage, and offer cultural experiences to the entire community.
Environmental Stewardship
The FY2025 budget invests $50.8 million to advance the Environmental Leadership Action Plan. These investments include:
$38.6 million for land acquisition and tree preservation.
$4.6 million for deep energy facility retrofits and onsite solar.
$2.8 million for 56 new electric vehicles in the County’s fleet.
$2 million for farmland preservation.
$1.1 million for electric vehicle charging stations.
$877,000 for maintenance of parks, greenways, and open space.
$485,000 to increase the County’s funding for the Cooperative Extension program.
$120,000 for a study of bacteria in ponds and necessary treatments.
$150,000 for a pilot program for solar panel installation subsidies for low to moderate income residents.
Early Childhood Development
Using current resources, increase the per child per month support from $900 to $925 for MECK Pre-K and N.C. Pre-K.
$394,000 for increased funding of childcare subsidies for clients in unified workforce development, Food and Nutrition Services clients, and foster families.
Asset and Facility Management
$1.3 million for increases in maintenance and operating costs.
$492,000 for guard service and weapons screening at Southeast and Northwest health clinics and Park and Recreation’s administration building.
Child, Family, and Adult Services
$220,000 to sustain the Mobile Market, which brings fresh fruits, vegetables, and groceries to areas of Mecklenburg County with limited access and provides fresh produce at CRC food pantries and congregate meal sites.
$704,000 for increases in In-Home Aid services for up to 220 clients.
$250,000 for additional interpreter and translation services.
$820,000 for a facility in partnership with StarMed to provide 12 additional emergency placements beds.
$683,000 to continue educational and employment trips initiated through ARPA funding for seniors through the Mecklenburg Transportation System (MTS), the County’s adult services transportation program.
Community Support Services
$100,000 to support Safe Alliance’s Lake Norman satellite office which provides services to victims of domestic violence in northern Mecklenburg County.
Criminal Justice Services
$235,000 for three pre-trial managers to manage increased caseloads.
$110,000 for a licensed clinician for pre-trial services particularly for clients experiencing behavioral health challenges.
Investments in People
Mecklenburg County has more than 6,000 employees serving 1.1 million residents every day. The budget invests $33.6 million for employees.
$14.3 million for a 3% across-the-board pay increase.
$12.1 million for a performance-based pay increase averaging 2.5%.
$3.4 million for the County’s contribution to the local government employee retirement system.
$276,000 for law enforcement for special separation pay.
$251,000 for employee recruitment and training.
$244,000 for three new HR staff: senior benefits analyst, HR assistant director, and compensation analyst.
Information Technology
$2.9 million for cost increases associated with software and hardware contracts and other IT-related services.
Park and Recreation
$3.0M of additional capital maintenance for Park facilities
$1.3 million for maintenance, operation, and 15 full-time positions to support new greenway miles, Ezelle Farm Park, Monroe Road Park, Mint Hill Park, newly acquired land, and Knights View Elementary recreational partnership.
$236,000 for additional maintenance at athletic fields and shelters.
Fund Balance
Mecklenburg County’s fund balance is the primary resource for unexpected or emergency situations. Use of dollars from fund balance is restricted to one-time, non-recurring costs, and has helped fund many new initiatives that address the Board priorities. Fund balance is currently $149.5 million over the policy minimum for one-time expenses. The budget utilizes $130 million in unrestricted fund balance.
Learn More
To learn more about the budget process, visit Budget.MeckNC.gov.
