HICKORY – Hickory City Manager Warren Wood presented the Recommended Budget for Fiscal Year 2026-2027 to the City Council on May 19, proposing a $162,760,671 spending plan. The balanced budget covers all City operations, capital improvements, and debt services, representing a 2.3% increase over the current fiscal year.
The proposed budget keeps the property tax rate flat while prioritizing long-term infrastructure, street resurfacing, and the launch of the City’s strategic “Hickory 2050” initiative.
Flat Property Tax and Major Fund Breakdowns
Approximately 80% of the City’s financial operations are concentrated in three primary funds:
- General Fund ($83,078,681): A 5.3% increase over the current year. The property tax rate remains unchanged at 46 cents per $100 of assessed value. The budget includes a one-time $1 million allocation to double funding for the City’s street resurfacing program and an additional $300,000 for the City’s annual sidewalk maintenance and extension program.
- Water and Sewer Fund: To improve infrastructure and maintain enterprise operations, the budget proposes an increase in water and sewer rates that will result in a monthly increase of $3 on the average Hickory residential water and sewer bill.
- Solid Waste Fund: Proposes a $1 increase to bring the monthly sanitation fee to $30. This change will offset rising operational costs and make the fund entirely self-supporting for the first time in its 30-year history.
The “Hickory 2050” Strategic Vision: Prioritizing Water Security
As Hickory nears the completion of its 2014 Bond Program, the FY 2026-2027 budget shifts focus to Hickory 2050, a long-range strategic plan centered on public infrastructure improvements, water security and resiliency, and future economic growth.
“Water security is one of the City’s top priorities, both currently and in the long term,” Wood stated. “We share the Catawba-Wateree River Basin with numerous other cities and counties, making it our collective responsibility to protect. Under the Hickory 2050 plan, Hickory is prioritizing programs and projects that enhance water and sewer system resiliency and redundancy, improve operational efficiency, and help us prepare for future growth.”
Key long-term infrastructure projects proposed under the Hickory 2050 framework include:
- Advanced metering infrastructure (AMI)
- Secondary raw water intake and raw water resiliency improvements
- Increased water storage, production, and wastewater treatment capacities
- Interconnectivity with surrounding municipal water systems
- Flood mitigation for critical sewer infrastructure
Funding these long-term projects will involve a 25-year strategy combining multiple funding options.
Public Hearing and Review Details
The proposed budget is balanced and prepared in accordance with the Local Government Budget and Fiscal Control Act and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).
The Hickory City Council invites the community to provide feedback during a public hearing on Tuesday, June 2, at 6 p.m. The hearing will take place during the regular City Council meeting at the Julian G. Whitener Municipal Building, located at 76 North Center Street.
The complete FY 2026-2027 Recommended Budget is available for public review online at www.hickorync.gov/budget.