Buncombe County's proposed budget could top $500 million as rising costs and Hurricane Helene recovery efforts shape spending priorities for the coming year. County Manager Warwick Arden presented department funding requests to commissioners on Tuesday, totaling more than $504 million for fiscal year 2027, which starts July 1. The $504 million in requests represents an approximate eight percent increase over the current year's adopted budget of $466 million. Arden said that inflation continues t