Wake County libraries bond passes, but Cary and Zebulon voters reject bonds there

Kristen Johnson
·2 min read

Wake County voters approved a bond referendum to improve and add libraries Tuesday night, while Cary and Zebulon voters rejected bonds that would have raised their taxes.

With all 212 precincts reporting, Wake voters supported the $142 million libraries bond by a margin of 56% to 44%

Over the next seven years, Wake County residents will see:

  • Rolesville get its first library

  • Apex’s Friendship community get a library

  • Replacement of the Athens Drive Community Library

  • Replacement of the Wendell Community Library

  • Expansion of the Fuquay-Varina Community Library

  • Renovations to these libraries: Express Library on Fayetteville Street, Green Road Community, Leesville Community, Northeast Regional, Richard B. Harrison Community, Southeast Regional, Zebulon Community

The bond will cost homeowners and other property owners an additional $2.50 for each $100,000 of their property tax value. For example, a home with a median value of $462,000 would see an annual increase in its county tax bill of $11.50.

Cary Parks and Recreation and Affordable Housing Bonds

With all 41 precincts reporting, voters rejected the $560 million Parks and Recreation bond referendum by a margin of 55% to 45%

The bond would have funded an indoor sports and recreation community center, two senior centers, pickleball and tennis court expansions, and planning for greenways.

Voters also rejected the town’s $30 million Affordable Housing bond referendum, 51.5% to 48.5%

It would have supported local nonprofits and current programs helping residents facing displacement or struggling to pay utility bills.

The bonds would have required raising Cary’s tax rate by 9 cents per $100 of assessed property value over about seven to ten years.

The current rate is 32.5 cents per $100 of assessed property value. Residents would have seen a 3-cent per $100 increase in 2026, 2028 and 2030.

At the current tax rate, a homeowner with a house valued at $623,359, Cary’s median, would have faced a $2,213 town tax bill in 2026.

Zebulon Transportation Bond

A $20 million bond referendum to improve roads in the eastern Wake County town failed by a margin of 54% to 46%.

The bond would have improved North Arendell Avenue including added lanes and medians, and constructed a roundabout at the intersection of Pearces Road and Proctor Street, with additional improvements on Jones Street to connect traffic on Proctor Street to North Arendell Avenue. and U.S. 264.

Residents would have seen a tax increase of $42.30 per $100,000 of assessed property value.

Wake County Board of Commissioners

Democrat Shinica Thomas defeated Republican opponent Jacob Arthur for Wake County Commissioner in District 6.

Thomas, the incumbent, has held the seat since 2020. With all precincts reporting, she had 53% of votes to Arthur’s 46%.

In District 5, Tara Waters, who was appointed to the seat after Commissioner James West died last year, ran unopposed.

Incumbent Susan Evans also ran unopposed, keeping her seat in District 4.

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