From Staff Reports 

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners on June 2 adopted its proposed 2026-27 budget of $484.4  million — billed as a “structurally balanced budget” — that includes a 3.98-cent property tax rate increase.

“The budget supports continued recovery from Tropical Storm Helene, inflationary cost increases, and ongoing commitments to education, public safety, human services, and capital projects,” the county stated in a June 2 news release.

Key details on the new budget include the following:

• Property tax rate: Increased to 43.20 cents per $100 of assessed value — about 10 percent higher than revenue-neutral. at 11.96 cents per $100.

• Annual tax impact: For a $500,000 home, the county tax bill will increase to $2,161 annually.

• Unified fire tax: The county’s 20 fire tax districts were consolidated into a single fire district with a unified tax of 11.96 cents per $100 of  assessed value, bringing an additional $14 million into fire services.

• Education: Funding includes an established tax rate of \(8.64\) cents per \(\$100\) for Asheville City Schools, alongside allocations for early childhood education.

• Community investments: The budget features more than $11.7 million in investments for behavioral health, affordable housing, conservation, and youth programs.

In other action, the commissioners also approved key investments in flood recovery and emergency operations infrastructure, and recognized community leaders.

Commissioners issued proclamations recognizing June 11 as Dr. Suzanne Landis Day, honoring the founder of Project Access, and declaring June as Gun Violence Prevention & Awareness Month and June 1-7 as N.C. SAFE Week of Action.

The commissioners also received the 2025 Child Fatality Review Team Annual Report presented by Buncombe County Public Health Director Dr. Ellis Matheson. The report outlines preventable causes of child deaths and offers recommendations to strengthen behavioral health access, interagency coordination, and community safety strategies.

In new business, the  board voted to introduce Bond Orders and to adopt a resolution for a public hearing at its June 16 meeting for General Obligation (GO) bonds that include $30 million for open space conservation, park and greenway development, and the protection of natural resources, as well as $40 million to support housing for individuals with low or moderate incomes, including related infrastructure and land acquisition. 

In preparation for closing out expenditures related to Buncombe County’s allocation of American Rescue Plan Act funds and Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds, the commissioners approved the use of remaining dollars to support two key county programs — Community Paramedics and Helene Response operations. 

From Staff Reports 

ASHEVILLE, N.C. —A judge ordered Dillon James Curtis held without bond — under Iryna’s Law (North Carolina House Bill 307), legislation enacted to keep individuals accused of violent, repeat offenses in jail — during a May 26 court appearance.

Therefore, Curtis, a 29-year-old man from Etowah, is being held without bond at the Buncombe County Detention Facility in downtown Ashville following an attack on outdoor content creator and runner Emily Sutherland at the Bent Creek Experimental Forest near Asheville on May 21.

Details of the backstory and case include:

• The incident: Sutherland was running when Curtis allegedly shoved her shoulder, swung at her, tried to grab her phone to prevent her from calling 911, and threatened to “knock her out and drag her into the woods.”

• Bystander intervention: The assault ended when two mountain bikers noticed the altercation and intervened, causing Curtis to back off.

• The charges: Following an investigation by the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office, Curtis was arrested and initially charged with misdemeanor assault on a female, communicating threats, false imprisonment, and interfering with emergency communication. Investigators later upgraded the charges to felony second-degree kidnapping after determining the victim was unlawfully confined against her will.

From Staff Reports

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — “They agree on where they are going, but they disagree on how to get there,” the Asheville Citizen Times reported on May 28

“That’s what Asheville’s mayoral candidates Esther Manheimer and Kim Roney had to say about one another” during Leadership Asheville Forum’s May 27 Mayoral Candidate Forum, the ACT added.

“Taking questions from an audience at the Asheville Country Club, discussion between the candidates addressed issues of homelessness, public safety, public transit, transparency and recovery from Tropical Storm Helene and more

“It’s a repeat of the 2022 election, with the same figures — three-term Mayor Esther Manheimer and two-term City Council member Kim Roney — again being the options in the general election.

“Manheimer is endorsed by Buncombe County Commission Chair Amanda Edwards and State Sen. Julie Mayfield. Roney is endorsed by Register of Deeds Drew Reisinger, AFL-CIO and the WNC Central Labor Council. It was the first mayoral candidate forum since the March primary, where the two automatically proceeded to the general election.”

From Staff Reports 

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — The Asheville housing market continues to show signs of strength, with more homes hitting the market and inventory on the rise across the area, Asheville television station WLOS (News 13) reported on May 29.

"People are coming here regardless of the economy, and I think that insulates us from a lot of the economy's effects," Dave Noyes, designated managing broker for EXP Realty, told News 13.

A desirable market is what local brokers say has kept the greater Asheville area in good standing regarding real estate. Noyes says inventory is on the rise in the area, with median prices for houses falling in the last year.

In Buncombe County, Canopy MLS reported new listings increased by 8 percent in March, pending sales climbed to 20.5 precent, and closed sales rose by more than 5 percent. 

Data from Canopy MLS shows that there were more than 1,200 new listings on the market in April, a 13.9 percent increase from April 2025.

"This is a great opportunity, even if interest rates have increased a little bit, and they fluctuate in the sixes. This is a great opportunity to buy the home now at a little bit lower price," Noyes said.

Other brokers in the area agree.

"Until anything breaks with the war or something breaks going into 2027[...] right now is probably the lowest interest rate you're going to see of the year," J. Michael Manley, CEO of Keller Williams Professionals Asheville, told News. 13