The Lancaster County Board of Supervisors has adopted a $51,408,170 budget for FY27, along with a 5-cent real estate tax increase to help fund its rising debt obligations.

The largest single expenditure in the budget is the $21.9 million school system appropriation, which was approved and allocated to the schools as a lump sum. Debt service represents another major line item, totaling more than $6.7 million for FY27—an increase of over $2.2 million compared to the current fiscal year.

The Lancaster Sheriff’s Office budget is more than $5.5 million for law enforcement and corrections combined. Social Services is funded at more than $4.5 million, while paid Lancaster Emergency Services will operate with a budget of approximately $2.3 million.

Several notable expenditures related to the county workforce are built into the budget, including a 3% raise for all full-time county employees beginning July 1. The county will also fully absorb a 7% increase in health insurance premiums, meaning employees will see no rise in out-of-pocket costs.

Lancaster will additionally spend $232,000 to enroll EMS staff in the hazardous duty retirement supplement through the Virginia Retirement System. Previously, the Sheriff’s Office received these benefits, but EMS personnel did not.

To help fund the budget, the Board approved raising the real estate tax rate by five cents—from $.55 to $.60. The increase was driven primarily by the rise in annual debt service tied to school and parks capital projects, according to County Administrator Don Gill. All other tax rates remain unchanged from the prior year.

The budget and the real estate tax increase received unanimous approval from the voting board members. Supervisor Jason Bellows was absent.