County manager Heidi York presented her proposed county budget for the next fiscal year Monday night – $239.1 million, a 1.2 percent reduction in overall spending levels, with a 2.25-cent (or almost 4.6 percent) property tax rate increase. The tax rate would increase from 49.4 cents per $100 valuation to $51.65 cents.
The county rate would be in addition to various municipal tax rates that have been put forward by local municipalities: 7¢ proposed by Burlington’s city manager earlier this month; 5¢ which was adopted last week by Elon’s town council; 3¢, recommended by Graham’s city manager, which is pending in Graham; and 2¢, recommended by Mebane’s city manager, which is pending in Mebane.
One penny on the tax rate raises about $2.7 million, and York said the increase would amount to about $65 per year on a home valued at $289,000.
Two county commissioners – board chairman Kelly Allen and commissioner Ed Priola – immediately declared the property tax rate hike dead on arrival. Both said they would not support an increase in property tax rates.
Allen had provided the key third vote last year when commissioners increased the tax rate on a 3-2 vote.
Others – vice chairman Steve Carter and commissioners Pam Thompson and Sam Powell – were non-committal about the tax rate. Carter, like Allen, is up for reelection in November; Powell, who was appointed earlier this year to fill the remaining term of John Paisley, Jr., who died, will also be on the ballot for the remainder of Paisley’s term.
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The divide – so far
Opposed to a tax increase:
Non-committal about the county manager’s proposed budget/tax increase:
York emphasized the restraint in the budget she had developed, pointing to a lowering of costs, particularly for county personnel. She deleted 41 positions that have not been filled and removed another nine that are also currently vacant.
Remaining employees would receive a 2 percent cost-of-living increase.
Details on the school system budget, the biggest line item in the budget, were somewhat sketchy, but it appears that she gave the school system much of what they wanted, but not all. She described her budget as holding school funding level except for the $1.45 million addition in current expense funding, which she said is required by law.
The school system had asked for $88 million, but York designated $85.2 million, $2.8 million less than the ABSS request.
Public speakers on the budget were divided largely between local Democratic candidates who favored more spending, particularly for the school system, and Republican Party officials who urged the (mostly Republican) commissioners not to support a property tax increase.
