The Fayetteville City Council voted 9-1 on Monday to approve a $327.3 million spending plan, ending a turbulent budget season largely driven by Mayor Mitch Colvin’s insistence on keeping tax rates steady.
The final budget—paired with a $117 million capital improvement plan—maintains the city’s current property tax rate of $0.4495 per $100 of value.
“Passing a zero tax increase budget is a testament to what disciplined, community-focused leadership can achieve,” Colvin told CityView. “We kept taxes low while investing in our workforce, eight new police officers, public safety technology and continuing our commitment to sidewalks, bike lanes, and street infrastructure—that’s a win for every resident in Fayetteville.”
The council also agreed to raise the solid-waste fee by $10, the only fee change this year.
The city will release the full budget in the next few weeks, Communications Manager David Scott told CityView.
City Manager Doug Hewett proposed a $322 million budget in May that included a 3-cent property tax increase and a slate of “strategic investments.” But council members expressed their frustrations during budget meetings, saying the proposal failed to reflect the priorities they set in February.
Colvin was the sharpest critic. He said the proposal ignored the council’s directions and left elected officials “hunting for dollars” to avoid a tax hike.
“I felt like I wasted our time,” Colvin said earlier this month.
The council had planned to adopt a budget by June 8, but it quickly became clear that timeline was no longer feasible.
Over the next two weeks, Colvin emerged as the central budget architect by encouraging city staff to work within his political parameters.
On June 12, he presented what he called a consolidated “working list,” a package of cuts, restorations, and adjustments designed to avoid a tax increase while protecting high‑visibility services.
He repeatedly framed a no‑tax‑increase stance as both a political and moral imperative. Many residents are already strained by inflation and high poverty rates, he argued.
But several members questioned whether avoiding a tax increase was reckless.
Councilmember Stephon Ferguson argued for a 2‑cent tax increase, calling it “fiscally irresponsible” to not fully fund critical needs public‑safety technology, bike lanes, and neighborhood connectivity.
Ferguson also criticized Colvin’s decision to bundle dozens of recommendations into a single vote, saying it “forces us to support items we really are against and go against things that we actually support.”
Councilmember Lynne Greene urged her colleagues to stay open to the idea of a tax increase. She said the city could otherwise struggle to maintain services.
“We can’t get where we need to be because we are outpaced, and so I think it’s important that we as a body keep that in mind,” she told the council.
Still, Ferguson and Greene voted in favor of the budget on Monday. Councilmember Shaun McMillan cast the lone no vote. He said the council’s process was rushed and unfair—both in how staff were treated and in how some major items, including ShotSpotter and employee pay raises, were not thoroughly debated in public.
“I am not supporting this budget as presented tonight, and that’s not against my colleagues, not against the good that is in this budget,” he said Monday night. “But it is a vote for process that is worthy of the people we serve and the staff who serve alongside us.”
What’s in the Budget
The adopted budget reflects many of the priorities council emphasized throughout June:
- No property‑tax increase, holding the rate at $0.4495 per $100 of value
- $3.65 million for employee compensation, including a 3% salary increase
- $2.18 million for the Office of Community Safety, including expanded mental‑health response capacity
- More than $120 million for police and fire operations
- No increases to stormwater fees or FAST transit fares
- A $10 annual increase to the solid‑waste fee to cover rising fuel and operational costs
The $117 million capital improvement plan includes:
- $40 million for stormwater improvements
- $19.5 million for public safety facilities, equipment, and technology
- $12 million for housing preservation and homeownership initiatives
- $9.1 million for environmental protection projects
- $7.6 million for transportation improvements
The council also advanced $6.5 million in fire apparatus purchases fromFY2027 into FY 2026 through installment financing to relieve pressure on next year’s budget while accelerating the delivery of critical public safety equipment..
City officials framed the final plan as a balanced compromise, a point Hewett underscored in a press release.
“This budget reflects the hard work and commitment of City staff, the Mayor and City Council to make thoughtful decisions on behalf of our residents,” Hewett said. “By listening to community feedback and carefully evaluating our priorities, we have adopted a balanced budget that supports today’s needs while preparing Fayetteville for the future.”
Government reporter Rachel Heimann Mercader can be reached at rheimann@cityviewnc.com or 910-988-8045.
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