Charlotte, Lexington Approve Budgets With Raises, Programs

The Charlotte City Council unanimously approved a $3.6 billion budget for fiscal year 2026, maintaining the lowest property tax rates among large North Carolina cities and avoiding a tax increase. The budget raises the minimum pay for full-time city employees to $50,000 and grants a 4% pay increase for hourly workers. Major investments include urgent home repair, affordable housing, youth programs, and $30 million over four years for a new Animal Care and Control adoption facility, with the department moving outside of police oversight. Additional funding supports community nonprofits, after-school care, and youth resource centers, much of it enabled by one-time federal ARPA funds. Separately, the Lexington City Council added nearly $1 million to its $540.2 million budget, emphasizing transportation, technology, micro-transit pilots, downtown connectors, and sidewalk improvements. Both cities' budgets focus on community support, employee compensation, and public safety.