Cumberland County Boosts New Budget to $666.5 Million Without Raising Taxes

Cumberland County started its 2027 fiscal year on July 1 with a $666.5 million budget—$10 million more than the county manager recommended on May 21.

The budget is $17.9 million more than the county anticipated spending in fiscal 2026, and $42.1 million more than the budget the Board of Commissioners adopted a year ago for fiscal 2026, according to budget documents.

Commissioners voted 6-0 on June 23 to approve the budget. Commissioner Jeannette Council was absent.

Despite being $10 million more than what County Manager Clarence Grier recommended, the 2027 budget does not include a property tax increase. Instead, commissioners voted to spend more of their expected revenue from taxes and other sources, to move money from some projects and programs into others, and to dip into the county’s cash reserves.

The county’s property tax rate remains at 49.9 cents per $100 of assessed property value. The 49.9-cent tax rate works out to $1,322 on a home with an assessed value of $265,000, and $125 on a car valued at $25,000.

Most property owners pay additional taxes, depending on whether they live in Fayetteville or one of the county’s eight towns, where municipal taxes are levied; and whether they pay for rural fire service (15-cents per $100), and whether they pay the parks-and-recreation tax (5 cents per $100). There was no change to the fire department tax or recreation tax.

Commissioners boosted their spending plan by $10 million above the Grier’s recommendation in order to limit staffing cuts that had been proposed for the Department of Social Services, to give county employees 2.5% cost-of-living pay raises instead of 2%, to give employees 3% one-time bonuses, to add some positions, and to avoid cutting county programs.

The county’s budget pays for law enforcement, the county detention center, planning and inspections, education, the public libraries, social services, animal services, health services, parks and recreation, rural fire departments, other emergency services, public buildings, and other public services.

The new budget also restructures the compensation plan and ranks in the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office to help the agency recruit and retain deputies. The budget has $36.2 million for the Sheriff’s Office, $22.4 million for the detention center, and $5.1 million for other related law enforcement programs.

Budget Process Led to Tears

The Board of Commissioners held budget workshops on February 26 and May 4 to prepare for the annual budget season in May and June. After they received Grier’s proposed budget on May 21, commissioners met for more than 22 hours in May and June to further discuss it, make revisions, and hammer out the compromises that resulted in them spending $10 million more than he recommended.

Grier’s proposed cut to the Department of Social Services (DSS) was a significant issue. He proposed $61.7 million for the agency, a 10.3% reduction from what commissioners approved a year ago, his budget document said.

As of June 12, the Department of Social Services had 791 funded positions, DSS Director Brenda Jackson told CityView. On June 22, the commissioners debated what to do with 151 vacant slots.

The proposed county budget on May 21 would abolished 61 vacant positions.

Later, the proposed staff cut increased by 41, for a total of 102, Jackson said at a Board of Social Services meeting on June 10. The additional 41 would be still on the books, but unfunded.

Out of 151 positions, 49 could be filled.

Combined, the 102 position cuts would save the county $5.1 million, Assistant County Manager Deborah Shaw told commissioners on June 22.

The 102 cut positions included social workers, caseworkers, support staff, and eight administrative slots, Jackson told CityView.

Jackson was so upset with the budgeting process—and what she said were misleading statements Grier made to commissioners about whether she supported his proposed DSS budget cuts—that she cried during the June 10 social services board meeting.

She told the social services board she tried repeatedly and unsuccessfully since August 2025 to meet with Grier to address anticipated cuts in federal funding for DSS programs. Ultimately, Jackson said, she met with him for 15 minutes, and afterwards she was told where and how to cut her department by $4.2 million.

“I’m sick and tired of begging to be engaged, begging to be communicated with, and begging to feel like I got value-added contribution,” Jackson told the social services board. “And we shouldn’t be sitting here—this could have been avoided—but you’re not going to discredit me and impugn my integrity.”

In an emailed statement to CityView on June 11, Grier responded to Jackson’s comments. He said he strove to factor in financial pressures including inflation, uncertain federal funding, and other factors affecting DSS programs when he prepared the budget.

“I have tremendous respect for Director Jackson, her leadership team and the important work performed by DSS employees,” Grier said. “Developing a balanced budget requires difficult decisions and, at times, differing perspectives. My focus remains on ensuring Cumberland County is prepared to meet future potential challenges while continuing to provide critical services to residents.”

Social services employees attended some of the budget workshops, and Commissioner Veronica Jones argued for DSS funding.

When the Board of Commissioners approved the budget on June 23, it cut 82 vacant positions. Fifty of the 82 jobs are being abolished, and 32 are going unfunded.

Jones preferred to keep 99 of the 151 positions, but voted for the budget.

In addition, commissioners allocated $300,000 for Jackson to use for incentives, such as sign-on bonuses and retention bonuses, to help her recruit and retain staff.

The agency’s budget now totals $64.3 million, a $2.6 million increase over the $61.7 million originally proposed.

Other Proposed Cuts Rejected

Grier had proposed canceling several programs to help balance the budget. Commissioners disagreed and moved money from other parts of the budget to pay for them.

Some of these:

• The Healthy Conversations barbershop program, which partners with barbers to have their clients get healthcare checks and advice while they get their hair cut. Commissioner Glenn Adams championed this program. It’s budgeted at $187,000.
• The Connected Care health and well-being program, a joint project of the Public Health and Social Services departments. Teams from the departments work with individuals and families “who are experiencing health problems, food or housing insecurity, unmet social or emotional needs and unemployment,” according to the county’s website. It’s budgeted at $1.4 million.
• A transportation program that gives Health Department clients free rideshare rides to the department or its related offices around the county, for appointments and services. This is budgeted at $60,000.
• Proposals to increase the fees to adopt pets from the county’s animal shelter were turned down. Staff suggested higher fees to help cover costs for vaccinations, spaying and neutering, and other expenses. Commissioners said increasing the adoption fees would make people less likely to adopt them.

The Budget in General

The $666.5 million budget has $408.3 million for general government services, $50.9 million in capital investment, $24 million for rural fire departments, $10.1 million for recreation, $8.7 million for the Crown Complex, $30.5 million for solid waste, $49.2 million for employee and retiree insurance, and $84.8 million for various other programs.

Senior reporter Paul Woolverton can be reached at pwoolverton@cityviewnc.com.

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