NC affordability: Homeowners brace for potential property tax hikes in Raleigh: what it means for your family budget

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NC affordability: Homeowners brace for potential property tax hikes in Raleigh: what it means for your family budget

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — From the grocery aisle to the gas pump, people living in Raleigh say the cost of just about everything is climbing.

Now, homeowners are bracing for another financial hit: a potential increase in their property taxes. If newly proposed city and county budgets move forward, some neighbors could see their bills go up from two different directions.

At Raleigh’s Gipson Play Plaza, the looming tax hikes are a major talking point for parents trying to balance household budgets.

“We’re being stretched all over the place,” said Samantha Cibelli, who visits the park weekly with her 3-year-old daughter, Amelia. “Food is more. Gas, obviously. Everybody is talking about it.”

While Cibelli admits the thought of paying more isn’t ideal, she sees the value in where those tax dollars are funneled.

“With a little one, we are at the park a lot,” Cibelli said. “We love our libraries, our library workers. Anything going to things like that, we’re happy to pay.”

However, for other families, any increase feels impossible. Julie Schumaker, a mother of eight who was also at the park with her children, says she is already at a breaking point.

When asked if she could afford the tax increases, Schumaker’s answer was definitive: “No, I cannot. I can’t even afford basic living right now. I’m literally two months behind on my mortgage.”

Though Schumaker lives in neighboring Johnston County, she says rising costs and property taxes are a constant source of stress at home.

“I have a lot of repairs I haven’t been able to make because I’m on a limited income,” Schumaker said. “I have a family of eight. Three of my kids are in college. I’m in college trying to make a better life.”

Homeowners living inside Raleigh city limits would absorb rate hikes from both Wake County and the City of Raleigh.

Wake County:

A proposed 2-cent property tax increase.
The owner of a $450,000 home would see their annual tax bill increase by $90.

City of Raleigh:

A proposed 1.7-cent property tax increase.
This would add about $67 a year to the bill of a median Raleigh homeowner.

With so many residents already struggling to make ends meet, many are questioning the timing of the proposals.

Raleigh Mayor Janet Cowell noted that the city held off on raising taxes last year specifically because of widespread affordability concerns. However, she stated that the current 1.7-cent city increase is desperately needed to fund emergency services, noting the city hasn’t added to these positions in a decade.

“Any increase, I understand, is not popular,” Mayor Cowell said. “But a fairly modest increase to make sure this stays a safe community, that our fire trucks are adequately managed, the right staffing on 911 calls… we saw it as critical needs for this community.”

According to the Mayor, the revenue generated from the city’s tax increase would directly fund: