Durham city manager proposes raising taxes to increase worker pay. How you can weigh in

Mary Helen Moore

City leaders are considering raising property taxes this summer to increase employee wages.

“It was just the right thing to do,” City Manager Wanda Page said Monday night when she presented her draft budget to the City Council. “Sometimes doing the right thing isn’t easy, but it is always right.”

The spending she proposed totals $667.8 million, up 9.5% over last year.

  • Page is proposing raising the city tax rate 3.85 cents, to 59.62 cents per $100 of assessed property value.

  • The county manager, meanwhile, has proposed a 3.25 cent-tax-rate increase, though the school board is pushing for more.

  • On a $254,000 house, the median in the city limits: The proposed city increase adds $98 and the proposed county increase adds $83 a year to the annual tax bill, which would total $3,507. Check the impact on your property online.

Page said the economy was performing well, but next fiscal year’s wants and needs are “very significant.”

The pay increases are projected to cost $28.5 million and would range from about 7% to 20%, depending on the

Police: New officers would see introductory pay of $54,817, up 14%. Fire: New firefighters would see introductory pay of $51,559, up 18%. Raising the minimum wage: The minimum livable wage would increase to $19.58 per hour.

Page also recommends three new positions in the Planning and Transportation departments, as well as funding to support the Guaranteed Income Program, the Hayti Reborn Justice Movement, the Immigrant Legal Defense Fund, the Durham Expunction and Restoration (DEAR) Program, the Durham Low Income Homeowners Relief Program.

Her spending plan also includes money to establish a new Office of Survivor Care and a new Summer Camp Grant Fund.

Bond referendum advanced

The City Council voted unanimously Monday to advance a $200 million bond referendum that will be put to voters in November.

  • $115 million for streets and sidewalks

  • $85 million for parks

The parks money would be split almost evenly between two projects:

  • An aquatic wonderland — with pools, a lazy river and water slides — at Wheels Fun Park, a former skating rink set to reopen this fall.

  • A pool, new play areas and other improvements at Long Meadow and East End parks on Alston Avenue.

The rest of the money would help produce 12.4 miles of new sidewalks, pave 13.3 miles of unpaved roads, and speed up repairs and maintenance for both.

The bond — which has some additional hurdles to clear before it’s officially on the ballot — would raise taxes 3.45 cents per $100 of assessed value starting in 2026 and slowly dropping off over 20 years.

What’s next?

Residents began weighing in on the budget Monday night, with the progressive nonprofit Durham for All asking the city to expand guaranteed income, and Legal Aid attorneys advocating more money be put into eviction diversion.

The city and county will both listen to feedback from residents before passing their budgets next month.

Here’s the schedule:

  • Tuesday, May 28: Public hearing on the county budget at 7 p.m.

  • Monday, June 3: Public hearing on the city budget at 7 p.m.

  • Monday, June 10: County commissioners vote.

  • Monday, June 17: City Council votes.

Advertisement