Buncombe County bond referendum
Buncombe County open space bonds
Who votes on it: Every voter in Buncombe County, including all of Asheville. Election Day is November 3, 2026.
What your vote means
A YES vote
The County may borrow up to $30 million for these purposes and raise property taxes as needed to repay it with interest. The County's schedule plans to borrow it within seven years.
A NO vote
The County may not borrow this money through these bonds, and the bond order does not take effect.
The money
- Borrowed
- $30 million
- Total with interest (estimate)
- about $47.6 million
- Tax increase, per $100,000 of value
- $4.10 a year
- For the County's median homeowner
- $18 a year
The ballot's total uses the highest interest rate charged on similar loans in the last 20 years. The median homeowner figure is the County's own estimate.
What it would pay for
- Acquisition and improvement of land or interests therein for conservation purposes, including the protection of natural resources and preservation of farms and scenic landscapes
- Development of parks, greenways, trails, and other outdoor recreational opportunities
In the ballot's own words.
Type a value to see the ballot's estimate for it.
Worked out from the ballot's own estimate of $4.10 a year for each $100,000 of tax value. Your tax value is on your County tax bill.
Read it line by line
The exact words on your ballot. Scroll, and each part lights up with a plain-English explanation. Tap any part to jump to it.
The ballot question
Additional property taxes may be levied on property located in the County of Buncombe in an amount sufficient to pay the principal of and interest on bonds if approved by the following ballot question. SHALL the order authorizing $30 million of bonds plus interest to provide funds to fund the acquisition and improvement of land or interests therein for conservation purposes, including the protection of natural resources and preservation of farms and scenic landscapes, and the development of parks, greenways, trails, and other outdoor recreational opportunities, and providing that additional taxes may be levied in an amount sufficient to pay the principal of and interest on the bonds be approved, in light of the following: (1) The estimated cumulative cost over the life of the bonds, using the highest interest rate charged for similar debt over the last 20 years, would be $47,615,115 (consisting of $30 million principal amount of the bonds plus $17,615,115 of interest). (2) The estimated amount of property tax liability increase for each one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) of property tax value to service the cumulative cost over the life of the bond provided above would be $4.10 per year.
1 of 7
If voters say yes, the County can raise property taxes to pay back this loan with interest.
2 of 7
The question is: can the County borrow up to $30 million and pay it back with interest?
3 of 7
The money could buy land, or rights to land, to keep it from being developed: natural areas, farms and scenic views.
4 of 7
It could also pay to build parks, greenways and trails.
5 of 7
A yes vote also allows the property taxes needed to repay it. The ballot then lists two cost estimates.
6 of 7
The total cost would be about $47.6 million. That is $30 million borrowed plus $17.6 million in interest. The estimate uses the highest rate paid on loans like this in the last 20 years.
7 of 7
The estimated tax increase is $4.10 a year for every $100,000 a property is worth for tax purposes.
How it got on the ballot
The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners adopted the bond order and set this referendum.
May 19, 2026
Commissioners approved the findings and the application to the state Local Government Commission
June 2, 2026
Commissioners introduced the bond orders and set public hearings
June 16, 2026
Public hearings; commissioners adopted the bond orders and set the referendum
November 3, 2026
Countywide vote