VOLUME 148 ISSUE 18 | THURSDAY, JUNE 26, 2025
CHATHAMNEWSRECORD.COM
THE CHATHAM COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL
ERIK VERDUZCO / AP PHOTO
Beatin’ the heat Temperatures soared into the triple digits across the eastern U.S. this week, setting all-time records in dozens of cities. Above, Dory, an explosives certified dog, cooled down in front of a fan outside of Bank of America Stadium before the start of a FIFA Club World Cup game on Tuesday in Charlotte.
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‘Revenue neutral’ property tax rate BRIEF this week influenced by how its calculated N.C. Senate takes on transgender issues Raleigh The state Senate advanced two bills that deal with transgender issues as lawmakers prepare for their anticipated summer recess by this week’s end. The first bill passed by the Senate on Monday bars parents from being cited for abuse or neglect for raising their child consistent with their sex assigned at birth. That bill now heads to Gov. Josh Stein’s desk. The second bill has several provisions, including restrictions on using state money to fund gender-affirming care for prisoners and a resolution affirming there are only two sexes. The state House must approve of the second bill.
Court issues mixed ruling on governor’s appointment powers Raleigh State trial judges have issued a mixed ruling for Democratic Gov. Josh Stein and Republican legislative leaders in litigation over recent law changes that eroded gubernatorial powers. A three-judge panel on Tuesday unanimously struck down as unconstitutional a law that placed some limits on whom the governor could choose to fill vacancies on appellate courts. But the judges let stand provisions that take away some of Stein’s appointments to the state Utilities Commission and Building Code Council. The order can be appealed.
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Siler City’s neutral rate is artificially low because of incentive plans By Ryan Henkel Chatham News & Record SILER CITY — At the Town of Siler City Board of Commissioner’s June 16 meeting, Commissioner Alec Hauser offered
further clarity on the town’s decision to maintain its current tax rate. Along with the vote to approve the 2025-26 budget at its June 2 meeting, the board also approved maintaining Siler City’s current tax rate of $0.54 per $100 valuation. The county had its property appraised this year — per North Carolina law, property
is required to be revalued every eight years, and Chatham County is on a four-year cycle — and from that, it was determined that the revenue neutral tax rate for Siler City, or the rate at which the town would have been able to collect the same amount of revenue as the prior fiscal year, would be $0.27 per $100 valuation. According to Hauser, the rea-
son for the drastic difference comes from how the rate is calculated and doesn’t necessarily reflect how much revenue is actually currently available to the town. “When you see a number that low, it looks really misleading,” Hauser said. “Like the municipal government is operating at See TAX RATE, page A3
Chapel Hill adopts 2025-26 town budget The budget comes with a tax rate nearly six cents above the revenue neutral rate By Ryan Henkel Chatham News & Record CHAPEL HILL — The Chapel Hill Town Council has adopted its latest budget, which will
cover the next year of operations for the town. The council approved the 2025-26 budget ordinance at its June 18 meeting, a decision that also comes with what could be a
significant tax increase for town residents. The budget sets a property tax rate of $0.50 per $100 valuation, and while this rate is technically lower than the previous one ($0.092 lower), it is $0.058 higher than the revenue neutral tax rate, or the rate that would generate the same
Flooding, rock slides close part of I-40 in Smoky Mountains About 2.5 to 3.5 inches of rain fell in the area over about three hours, according to the National Weather Service.
The same area was shut down following Hurricane Helene The Associated Press HARTFORD, Tenn. — Heavy rain, flooding and a rock slide have again closed a section of the major cross-country highway Interstate 40 along its narrow corridor through the Great Smoky Mountains, with engineers expecting the road closed for at least two weeks. The slide and flood happened last Wednesday afternoon around mile marker 450 in Tennessee, just to the west of the state line with North Carolina, the Tennessee Department of Transportation said on social media.
Engineers have found significant damage on both the highway and nearby ramps which was more extensive than originally thought, Republican Tennessee Rep. Jeremy Faison said on social media. “Several areas remain under water, and there are potentially compromised slopes. Geotechnical engineers are on-site today to assess the stability of those slopes,” wrote Faison, who represents the area. Tennessee transportation officials estimate it will take at least two weeks to drain the water, make sure the slopes are safe and repair the highway. The damaged section is part of 12 miles of I-40 in North Carolina and Tennessee See SLIDES, page A2
amount of revenue as the prior year with the newly revalued properties. Due to the property revaluations that occurred this year — Orange County is on a fouryear cycle — the county saw an approximate 50% increase in See BUDGET, page A3