Durham County commissioners approve 2025 fiscal year budget, additional $27 million for Durham schools

The Durham County commissioners on Monday approved the county budget for the 2025 fiscal year.

The commissioners approved the budget in a 4-1 vote, totaling more than $966 million in funding for the county. Brenda Howerton was the only commissioner who voted against the budget.

"This budget concerns me," she said. "Our of 16 years, I have never voted against a budget, but this budget concerns me greatly."

Howerton cited her concerns because of its potential impacts on senior citizens, citizens with disabilities and low-income citizens.

"County government employees are, and have always been, hard-working citizens," she said. "Our residents deserve the very best."

Included in the funding is a property tax increase of 4.65 cents, per $100 valuation, bringing the property tax to 79.87 cents per $100 valuation.

The budget also approves $27 million in additional funding to Durham Public Schools from the county. One of the commissioners said the school district is getting more than 90% of the county's budget.

"It's been a struggle listening to friends that can't pay their bills. I'm a teacher [and] I struggle," said Traci Hamilton, a DPS teacher in attendance Monday night. "This budget is going to help me pay for my master's degree, and hopefully brings us up to a living wage."

WRAL News has been looking into how Durham's funding compares to other surrounding counties.

In Wake County, for example, a larger proportion of budget goes to the the school district. However, Durham spends more money per pupil, and Durham is consistently one of the top spenders in the state.

Durham County Commissioner Nimasheena Burns had strong words for the school board at the most recent budget public hearing.

"Please stop this craziness about the school. The county commission does not support teachers. Stop all of it. We don't trust the school board; excuse me, I don't trust the school board. And I'm okay saying that," Burns said.

A break down of Durham's school budget

The school district was asking for a hike of $27.5 million. The county wanted to give a hike of $13 million.

WRAL News wanted to know how Durham's spending compares.

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction measures per pupil spending based on actual enrollment. Between 2018 and 2023, Durham's per pupil spending increased by about $1,000. In that same time, Wake's spending increased by just more than $600.

Durham has consistently been in the top six districts for spending per student, while Wake has hovered between 16th and 22nd statewide.

DPS asked the county for $27.5 million more in this budget. Durham County Manager Kimberly Sowell's proposed budget only allocated $13 million initially -- but now, using General Fund and ARPA dollars, the county could give DPS $26.5 million.

Sowell emphasized this will have long-term impact.

"I would just offer that we're trying to limit the burden for next year. This makes us extremely nervous, because we're going to have to in effect find $6 million," Sowell said. "We're starting in a hole of $6 million."

A big portion of the requested money for DPS is for increased salaries for classified employees. That's the group who had the issues with their paychecks earlier this year. Their raises are expected to cost about $8 million alone.