At its June 17, 2025, meeting, Sanford City Council approved the City of Sanford’s $121.2 million budget for fiscal year (FY) 2025-2026, which prioritizes public safety and infrastructure investments while maintaining the current tax rate of 53.5 cents per $100 valuation.
The approved budget invests in public safety and infrastructure enhancements, continuing the City’s multi-year rate strategy adopted to address rising operational costs and necessary system improvements, noted Assistant City Manager Beth Kelly when presenting the budget proposal to the Council on June 3, 2025.
Sanford residents will not see an increase to the current property tax rate of 53.5 cents per $100 valuation. However, the annual sanitation fee that funds leaf, limb, and bulk trash collection will change by $20. Utility customers will see a 4.75-percent increase in water and wastewater services.
“The City of Sanford remains committed to delivering the high-quality services residents depend on,” Kelly says. “The approved budget focuses on improving response times, streamlining operations, and ensuring departments are well-equipped to meet the community’s evolving needs.”
Utility customers in Pittsboro will also see new rates that are based on that system’s needs and expenses. Costs are allocated fairly based on usage, ensuring that Sanford customers are only funding Sanford services while Pittsboro customers fund Pittsboro’s services.
The utility systems in Siler City and Chatham County will become part of TriRiver Water on July 1, joining Sanford and Pittsboro. However, the approved budget does not set new rates for these incoming service areas. “The FY 2025-2026 rates for Siler City and Chatham County were established in our merger contracts based on projections for the upcoming year,” Kelly says.
View an executive summary of the FY 2025-2026 budget by visiting www.sanfordnc.net/budget and selecting “Proposed Budget for Upcoming Fiscal Year.” The linked document outlines key provisions, including staffing and fee adjustments, water and wastewater rates, and the property tax rate.
The FY 2025-2026 budget is effective July 1, 2025. The final full budget document will be available on our website in September.