Orange County budget work sessions in Hillsborough

Orange County’s budget process turns concrete tonight. The Board of County Commissioners is holding a budget public hearing and work session on Tuesday, May 12, at 7 p.m. in the Whitted Building in Hillsborough, with a second budget work session set for Thursday, May 14, at 7 p.m. The reason this matters is simple — this is where broad budget talk starts turning into actual choices about taxes, schools, county services, and capital projects. The county has to land on a final budget by June 30. ### What’s happening this week? Tuesday’s meeting is not just a workshop. It includes a public hearing on the budget and the Capital Investment Plan, then shifts into a commissioner work session. Thursday’s meeting is another work session, but without public comment. Both are scheduled for the Donna S. Baker Meeting Room in the Whitted Human Services Building at 300 W. Tryon Street in Hillsborough. (orangecountync.gov) ### What budget are they working from? The starting point is County Manager Travis Myren’s recommended FY 2026-27 budget, presented on May 5. That proposal sets the general fund at $325.1 million, which is $19.1 million higher than the current year — a 6.2% increase. Basically, commissioners are not building from scratch this week. They’re reacting to a full draft already on the table. (orangecountync.gov) ### Why is the tax piece getting attention? Because the recommendation includes a countywide property-tax increase of 3.75 cents per $100 of assessed value. That would move the rate from 63.83 cents to 67.58 cents. The county’s own example makes the effect pretty tangible — about $187.50 more per year on a $500,000 home, or $93.75 on a $250,000 home. That is usually the number residents key on first, because it is the fastest way to feel the budget at home. (orangecountync.gov) ### What are commissioners likely to dig into? Schools, employee pay, public safety, direct services, and capital planning look like the core pressure points. The manager’s budget presentation says the county is trying to limit the tax increase while still supporting school current expense and pay-go capital funding, investing in compensation, and preserving core services. That sounds tidy on paper, but work sessions are where commissioners test whether those priorities actually fit together. (orangecountync.gov) ### Can residents still weigh in? Yes — but timing matters. Public comments are accepted during Tuesday’s budget public hearing, not at Thursday’s work session. The county is also running budget information sessions in May, including one at the Whitted building from 6:00 to 6:45 p.m. on May 14 before that evening’s work session. Those sessions are more informal — a chance to ask staff questions and give feedback before decisions harden. (orangecountync.gov) ### Why does the Capital Investment Plan matter here? Because the county is not only talking about next year’s operating budget. It is also pairing that with longer-range capital planning — the stuff that tends to cost the most and last the longest, like buildings, facilities, and other major investments. The catch is that operating budgets and capital plans push on each other. A new building is not just a one-time expense; it can create future staffing and maintenance costs too. (orangecountync.gov) ### What happens after these sessions? More review. The county has said commissioners will hold four work sessions in total to evaluate requests from departments, schools, and outside agencies. So this week is the front end of the real debate, not the end of it. But it is the point where residents can start seeing which parts of the manager’s proposal survive first contact with the board. (orangecountync.gov) ### Bottom line? This week’s meetings are where Orange County starts deciding how much government it wants next year — and how much residents will pay for it. The headline number is a $325.1 million budget. The politically sharp edge is the proposed tax increase. Everything else in these sessions flows from that tradeoff. (orangecountync.gov) (orangecountync.gov)