Wilmington Mayor John Carney identified affordability, public safety and education development as major priorities in his budget address.
Carney’s budget address Thursday also highlighted the city’s commitment to its unhoused population.
Carney led the effort to open the Hicks Anderson Community Center as a winter storm shelter earlier this year. He also called for tapping budget reserves for a one-time $20 million infusion to create an Affordable Housing Fund.
Carney signed an executive order earlier this month establishing an Office of Community Safety, which City Councilmember Shané Darby also proposed.
When it comes to education, Carney said redistricting is top of mind.
“The Redding Consortium has a recommendation, but it's just taking much too long to get it done,” Carney said in his address. “We need to act. Meanwhile, our children suffer. While work continues on the redistricting issue, we will do our part by focusing on after school programs and summer programs.”
Carney said that includes expanding last summer’s pilot tutoring program. That saw 100 students tutored with more than 80% showing growth in their reading skills.
Wilmington City Council frequently discusses overwhelming utility costs in their meetings.
Carney’s budget, which must be approved by Council, includes no property tax increase and limits water and sewer rate increases to 9.95%. He added his budget goal is to ensure residents’ freedom and opportunities while mitigating spending.
“The budget I present tonight, Mr. President, aims to strike that balance,” Carney said. “It does so by limiting our ongoing budget growth and by responsibly using our reserve for critical one-time needs and priorities. We do this recognizing that residents are recovering from the fallout of property reassessment, skyrocketing electric bills and the frustrations of two big snowstorms.”
Carney also credited the city’s Police Department for significant reductions in crime, specifically 2025 seeing the lowest number of shootings in a year in the last two decades.
Carney’s budget plan totals nearly $213 million with no property tax increase.
