With Dare County tax rate announced, the towns are next 

By Mark Jurkowitz | Outer Banks Voice on April 9, 2025

Key budget meetings slated in municipalities within the next month

By Mark Jurkowitz  | Outer Banks Voice

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At the April 7 Dare Commissioners meeting, when they said the new county property tax rate would drop from 40.05 cents per $100 of value to 26.32 cents and be “revenue neutral,” Chairman Bob Woodard advised residents of the six municipalities to keep a close eye on the tax rates to be set in those towns.

“If you live in a municipality, you pay a municipality tax,” he said. “If you’ve got issues…you need to go to your municipality and voice your opinion about your local tax. If you have concerns, go to their board meetings.”

The focus on tax rates becomes even more intensive given the 2025 revaluation numbers, which found that the overall value of Dare properties rose 67% over last year. In this budget season, municipalities must indicate what their revenue neutral tax rate would be, but they are not obligated to set a revenue-neutral tax rate.

A Voice survey of officials in the six towns indicates that at this point, they, unlike the county, have not decided on or publicized any agreement on a new tax rate. But the process is underway with key budget meetings looming.

In Duck, where the current tax rate is 25 cents $100 of valuation, Town Manager Drew Havens said the new rate has not been decided but will be discussed at a Town Council budget Workshop on April 16. He added that the town’s “revenue neutral” tax rate is calculated at 15.55 cents “and forms the base of the budget draft as it currently stands.”  The full draft budget will be the subject of a May 7 public hearing.

In Southern Shores, the current basic town tax rate (not including beach nourishment fees) is 19.58 cents.  (A revenue neutral tax rate for the coming year would be 12.16 cents.) Town Manager Cliff Ogburn said that no decision on the new rate has yet been made, but it will be discussed at a special council budget workshop on Thursday, April 10.

Kitty Hawk Town Manager Melody Clopton, says discussions on a new rate have been held, “but nothing has been finalized this time.” But the current tax rate of 26.50 cents (not including beach nourishment fees) “will definitely decrease and ‘revenue neutral’ has been the starting point of our discussion,” Clopton said.

Kill Devil Hills Public Information Office Rachel Tackett said that the town’s commissioners have not held discussions on the new rate, but town staff is working on a proposed budget to present to the board.  She added that once that happens, the board will schedule its budget workshop and advertise these so that the public can attend and share any comments. The town’s current tax rate is 35.5 cents per $100.

In Nags Head, Town Manager Andy Garman said “we will present the proposed budget at our May meeting. We have calculated the revenue neutral rate for Nags Head however we are still working to balance the budget. It may be a week or so until I know what we will recommend.”  The current tax rate is 33 cents per $100.

The Manteo Board of Commissioners has not yet held any discussion about the upcoming budget or any changes to the current tax rate of 34.55 cents, according to Town Manager Melissa Dickerson. (The revenue neutral rate has been calculated at 25.29 cents.) The town hopes to present the recommended budget on May 7, Dickerson added.

SEE ALSO: As property values increase sharply, Dare officials say tax rate to drop significantly