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The revised county budget offers commissioners a version of the TV game show “Let’s Make A Deal.”
Commissioners have a choice of four different doors. The costs range from no tax increase to a hike of 4.5 cents per $100 valuation. The current tax rate is 63.5 cents per $100 valuation.
The basic choice is to give schools almost all of the new money and let other county departments get by at current levels.
County Manager Tim Russell redrew his budget recommendations after learning that the average per-pupil-spending across the state turned out to be much higher than expected.
After a series of public hearings more than two years ago, commissioners agreed to fund the Rowan-Salisbury Schools at the state per-pupil average. For the coming year, state officials say that figure rose to $1,178 per pupil, more than $52 than Russell had initially expected.
The county manager continues to make the case that other services need expansion, particularly emergency and safety services.
He spells out why he believes the county may be committing too many resources to schools, at the expense of all other services.
Russell said he hopes commissioners and the public will talk about those choices.
Unlike the TV game show, Russell is showing commissioners what’s behind each door.
Here are the four choices in summary:
n No. 1 — No tax hike, increase school funding to state average, requiring $2.5 million; 2.7 percent cost of living increase to county employees, $526,000; provide county share of public assistance pavements, $586,000; establish 6.5 new positions, two in Sheriff’s Department, three in Social Services and 1.5 in Health Department.
n No. 2 — A 2.5-cent property tax increase, which includes items in option No. 1 plus: architectural fee for South Rowan Library, $200,000; restroom and parking area at Dan Nicholas Park, $250,000; county takeover of
Rowan Rescue Squad with permanent funding, $157,000; merit pay for employees, $250,000; establish 13 new positions, including four telecommunicators, two positions in the Detention Center, six positions for new southwestern ambulance station and one for Parks and Recreation, $361,826; construct a new southwestern ambulance station, $165,820; additional radios, a microwave and photographic laboratory for Sheriff’s Department, $28,820; funds to begin construction on the 300 block of North Main Street, $361,000.
n No. 3 — An additional 1-cent property tax increase (for a total 3.5-cent hike), includes all items in options 1 and 2 plus: rewire Dan Nicholas Park campground, $135,000; repairs to county building, including replacing heating and air conditioning, $137,000; five new positions for emergency services and four new positions for the Detention Center, $170,000; market changes in salary for employees, $107,000; repair projects at Dan Nicholas Park, including new bear habitat, $165,820.
n No. 4 — An additional 1-cent increase (for a total 4.5-cent increase), include all items in options 1-3 plus: medical insurance for qualified retired county employees, $90,000; establish a new Salisbury area ambulance station, $222,638; add six positions, spread over Social Services, Telecommunications and Sheriff’s Department, $154,000; construct a new dam at Dan Nicholas Park, debt service payment of $250,000.
Under the current 63.5-cent tax rate, an owner of a $100,000 home pays $635 in taxes.
With Option 2, the 2.5 cent tax increase, the same homeowner would pay $660. Each additional one cent would add $10 to the tax bill. If commissioners opted to include all four options, the tax bill on a $100,000 home would rise from $625 to $680.
Commissioners expect to collect about $3.7 million in new revenue. The entire budget, most of which goes to programs that continue each year, exceeds $88 million.
County commissioners will meet at 9 a.m. May 31, a Wednesday, to review the budget. The public hearing on the budget is set for 7 p.m. June 5, a Monday.
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