June 5, 2024
By: Dwayne Page
Going up again?
On the heels of a 27 cent increase just a year ago, the county property tax rate may be going up again this year by an even larger margin of 61 cents.
During a meeting Tuesday night, the county budget committee voted 4-2 to settle on a tax levy of $2.61 cents per $100 of assessed value to present to the full county commission for consideration when the proposed consolidated budget is up for adoption in a few weeks. That’s a 61-cent hike from the current tax levy of $2.00 per $100 of assessed value. A year ago, the rate was $1.7308 cents. Budget committee members voting in favor were Tom Chandler, Mathias Anderson, Tony (Cully) Culwell, and Glynn Merriman. Chairman Jeff Barnes and Sabrina Farler voted no. Susannah Cripps was absent.
Fifty-one cents of the proposed tax hike would go to fund debt service for the eventual construction of a judicial center or jail while the remaining 10 cent increase would be allocated to schools to help fund the proposed new school budget which includes pay raises for certified personnel and support staff.
Prior to the vote on the tax levy, the budget committee adopted both the General-Purpose Schools Budget and Local Highway Department budgets as presented. Member Sabrina Farler abstained from voting on the school budget because she is employed by the school system.
Altogether, schools would be getting almost one million dollars in new local revenue from the county including $620,000 from the tax increase ($62,000 per 1 cent of the tax rate) and another $370,000 contribution from the local purpose (sales tax) fund. Schools already get an annual contribution from the county’s local purpose fund of $1,540,000 for yearly school budget operation. The extra $370,000 would put the annual contribution from the local purpose (sales tax) fund for schools at $1,910,000. Even with the added funds, schools would be about $720,000 short of fully funding the $1.72 million cost of the pay raises with matching benefits as presented to the budget committee last week by Director of Schools Patrick Cripps. However, Cripps said Tuesday night after the meeting that the difference could be made up from the school budget’s reserves.
According to the proposed school budget, as adopted by the board of education last month, a $2,000 pay increase would go to school employees with up to 9 years of service (155 employees); $5,000 for those with 10-19 years (104 employees); and $6,000 to staff with 20 or more years (108 employees).
If approved by the full county commission, the new property tax rate levy would apparently be divided as follows:
County General: $1.2583
Highway/Public Works: $0.0326 cents
General Capital Projects: $0.0733 cents
Debt Service: $0.6160 cents (an increase of 51 cents from the current debt service tax levy of $0.1060)
General Purpose Schools: $0.6298 (an increase of 10 cents from the current General Purpose Schools tax levy of $0.5298 cents)
TOTAL PROPOSED COUNTY TAX LEVY: $2.61 per $100 of assessed value which is up from the current tax levy of $2.00 per $100 of assessed value.
Meanwhile in a separate move, the budget committee voted unanimously to send a statement to the county commission that in order to fund eventual construction of a judicial center/jail an initial and detailed bond resolution is needed with an authorization of funding by the county commission (when required) not to exceed $65 million. Budget committee member Tom Chandler said that this vote is not a recommendation from the budget committee but only a statement of what is needed for the full county commission to consider.
Any excess proceeds or interest income from the bonds, if approved by the commission, could be used for certain projects which would otherwise be funded from the capital projects account including for example, a new fire truck and ambulances, etc.
The budget committee will meet again Thursday night, June 6 at 6 p.m. in the downstairs courtroom of the courthouse. County Mayor Matt Adcock said another meeting is needed to tie up some loose ends, plug in numbers to cover increases in insurance costs, and to address issues regarding the solid waste operation, etc. Plans are to also adopt a proposed consolidated budget at the budget committee meeting Thursday night to present to the full county commission for final passage on Monday, June 24th.