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Fund was established to account for the Article 46 Sales Tax. The Article 46 Sales Tax was initially <br /> estimated to generate $2 , 500, 000 annually . Article 46 sales tax revenue for the fiscal year ended June 30 , <br /> 2024 was approximately $6 . 1 million, and the County has estimated Article 46 sales tax revenue for the <br /> fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 to be approximately $ million . The Board of County Commissioners <br /> approved a ten-year commitment which authorized equal distributions of the one-quarter cent sales tax to <br /> support Schools and Economic Development . Fifty percent of the one-quarter cent sales tax is allocated to <br /> both County school systems on an average daily membership percent basis to fund capital projects . The <br /> other 50% is allocated to economic development initiatives including supporting water and sewer <br /> infrastructure funding in the County ' s three economic development districts . <br /> The County' s other sales and use taxes (Articles 39, 40, 42 , and 44 Sales Taxes) are reported in the <br /> County ' s General Fund and are included in the above table with Article 46 Sales Tax. <br /> The County ' s Articles 40 and 42 one-half cent local option sales and use taxes, which were <br /> authorized by the North Carolina General Assembly in 1983 and 1986, respectively, comprise significant <br /> funding sources for the County ' s school capital requirements and school debt retirement. <br /> Employment <br /> The North Carolina Department of Commerce has estimated the percentage of unemployment in <br /> the County to be as follows : <br /> 2020 ' 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 <br /> January 3 .4% 4 . 9 3 . 3 3 . 2 3 . 0 3 . 3 % <br /> February 3 .4 4 . 6 3 . 1 3 . 1 3 . 0 2 . 8 <br /> March 4 . 2 4 . 1 2 . 9 3 . 0 3 . 4 <br /> April 9 . 8 3 . 7 2 . 9 2 . 7 2 . 8 <br /> May 8 . 9 4 . 0 3 . 3 3 . 2 3 . 2 <br /> June 8 . 0 4 . 4 3 . 7 3 . 3 3 . 6 <br /> July 7 . 4 4 . 3 3 . 8 3 . 5 3 . 9 <br /> August 5 . 4 4 .2 3 . 8 3 . 5 3 . 5 <br /> September 4 . 8 3 .2 3 . 0 3 . 0 2 . 9 <br /> October 4 .2 3 . 3 3 . 2 3 . 1 2 . 8 <br /> November 4 . 3 3 . 1 3 . 3 11 3 . 1 <br /> December 4 . 6 2 . 7 2 . 9 2 . 9 2 . 9 j <br /> Layoffs began in March, April and May due to the COVID- 19 pandemic . <br /> Note : Not seasonally adjusted. <br /> Source : N. C . Department of Commerce: Labor and Economic Analysis Division. <br /> The County ' s unemployment rate averaged 3 .2 % in 2024, as compared to 3 . 6% for the State and <br /> 4 . 0% for the United States . <br /> Government and Major Services <br /> Government Structure, The County has a commission-manager form of government with a seven. <br /> member Board of Commissioners comprising the governing body . The commissioners are elected on a <br /> partisan basis for staggered four-year terms . The County manager is appointed by and serves at the pleasure <br /> of the Board of Commissioners . The Board of Commissioners annually adopts a balanced budget and <br /> establishes a tax rate for the support of the County ' s programs . The County Manager has the responsibility <br /> 30 <br />