---

Lincoln County Commissioners weren't the only ones approving their fiscal 2025 budget on Monday (June 3rd).  Catawba Couny Commissioners also approved their budget for  2024-2025.  That budget totals $322,709,358 and will be maintained by a tax rate of 39.85 cents per $100 in valuation, which is the lowest in the region and the eighth lowest tax rate in North Carolina.

By comparison, Lincoln County's 2025 budget totals $159,050,474 and Lincoln County's tax rate will also remain unchanged at 49.9 cents per hundred dollars valuation.  

“This budget reflects our commitment to conservative fiscal stewardship by maintaining a high level of service to our citizens and the low, stable tax rate established last year,” said Catawba County Board Chair Randy Isenhower. “In addition to investing in core services, the budget enables us to continue our strategic focus on strengthening our economy and enhancing our good quality of life which are fundamental to assuring a resilient future for the County.”

As with Lincoln and most other counties, Catawba's biggest budget items are public safety and education.  While Lincoln County Commissioners gave schools a $6.1 million increase from the current fiscal year, Catawba Commissioners approved a 5.5 percent increase in total per-pupil funding, including an additional 1 percent local teacher supplement to support retention and recruitment; $11.1M in school capital funding spread across the countys three public school systems; $14.5M in planned construction projects for Maiden Middle School, Catawba Rosenwald Education Center and Newton-Conover High School; $100K in matching funds for the CVCC K-64 Scholars Program; and a set-aside of $1.1M for future Chromebook replacement.

The Catawba County Sheriff’s Office will add four road patrol deputies throughout the year and hire a full-time digital forensic investigator; as well as upgrading technology by replacing body-worn cameras and the purchase of in-car video systems.

Catawba County Emergency Services will add a neonatal transport EMT funded in collaboration with the Catawba Valley Health System; Animal Services will add two kennel technicians mid-year.

The 2025 budget also includes $200,000 for improvements to the main Catawba County Library in Newton.  

While Lincoln County employees will be getting a 2½% cost of living pay increase, Catawba County employees will get 4%.  

We had previously published the link (on the Lincoln County website) to the particulars of the Lincoln County budget.  The adopted budget for Catawba County is available online at www.catawbacountync.gov.

---

---