On Thursday evening, New Hanover County commissioners approved the 2025-2026 budget in a party-line 3-2 vote. The budget, which came together on the eve of the agenda review meeting, is based on a 30.6-cent tax rate, and cuts $36 million from staff's earlier 35-cent version. To achieve that reduction, the budget makes significant cuts, eliminating funding for affordable housing and nonprofits, cutting funding for the Northside Co-op, scaling back pre-K and social workers, and removing roughly 100 positions, including 70 active employees. Commissioners debated budget priorities for hours before taking a tense vote, which had initially been slated for Monday's regular meeting next week.