WAKE FOREST, NC – Town Manager Kip Padgett has presented the proposed Fiscal Year 2026-27 budget to the Wake Forest Board of Commissioners, and residents are being invited to weigh in. A public hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, May 19, at 6 p.m. in the Town Hall Board Chambers, 301 S. Brooks St.
The budget was formally presented on Tuesday, May 5. Aligned with the goals detailed in the Town’s strategic plan, it will serve as the financial and spending plan for the period July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027.
What’s Proposed
The proposed budget holds the line on the property tax rate, keeping it at $0.42 per $100 of assessed property valuation, and maintains the vehicle fee at $30. The downtown municipal service district tax would actually decrease by one cent, from $0.14 to $0.13 per $100 of assessed property valuation.
On the expenditure side, the budget calls for a $1/month increase in the residential solid waste fee (from $24 to $25/month), while Wake Forest Power’s residential energy charge and Stormwater Utility fee structure would remain unchanged.
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The proposed budget also includes 25 new full-time positions, including 14 firefighters, along with several major initiatives: a Downtown Transportation Study, Five-Year Strategic Plan Refresh, S-Line Design, Ailey Young House Design, and Toms Creek Watershed Improvements.
How to Participate
Residents can view a three-minute budget overview video and a digital copy of the proposed budget-in-brief at bit.ly/TOWFBudget. Community members may also visit Engage Wake Forest to share their thoughts online — all comments received will be shared with the Board of Commissioners and become part of the public record.
Final budget approval by the Board of Commissioners is scheduled for the June 16 meeting. For more information, visit bit.ly/TOWFBudget or email Budget & Performance Director Michelle Daniels at mdaniels@wakeforestnc.gov.
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