State Budget:
Senator Harry Brown said the Senate would not have budget votes this week as originally planned. "It may get delayed a few days," he said last week. "There’s a few pieces where the provisions are just difficult to put together — some education provisions and (health and human services) provisions."
The House proposed a budget that increased spending by 6 percent when compared to the current fiscal year. The Senate budget writers have said they will only support a 2.5 to 3 percent increase. Senator Brown has made clear that there will be a lot more money set aside in the rainy day fund, and for repairs and renovations. He also said that the transportation budget will look very different than the House version.
Earlier in the session, Senator Brown authored a change to the way sales taxes are distributed amongst counties in the state, and Senator Rucho has been on the record many times wanting to lower the personal income tax. Both Senators are top leaders within the Senate and have significant influence on the budget plan. It has not been confirmed whether these tax changes will be included in the Senate budget, but some sort of tax change is expected.
Local Government Budgets:
While the state government continues do debate their budget for the next fiscal year, North Carolina’s local governments are also debating their budget plans as their fiscal years end on June 30th, the same date as the state’s. Here are some of the details from local government budgets across North Carolina; some of these budgets have been voted on and approved, while others are still in the debate process.
- Property taxes will increase by 1-cent per every $100 of valuation, which equates to a 2 percent increase.
- The garbage fee paid by single-family homeowners will decrease from $47 to $25.
- Storm water fees were increased and water bills are increasing by approximately 3 percent.
- Small businesses will be charged a garbage fee if the city picks up their trash of $250 per year.
- $8 million is cut from city departments and 100 vacant positions are eliminated.
- A ‘living wage’ of $12.50/hour without health insurance or $11.50 with health insurance for seasonal/temporary workers is implemented. This will affect approximately 150 city workers.
- All salaried city employees receive a 1 percent raise.
- Property tax increases by 1.5-cents per every $100 of valuation, which raises the city property tax to 47.5 cents.
- $17.5 million is allocated to the River Arts District Transportation Improvement Plan that includes sidewalks, bike lanes, greenways, on-street parking, and roadway and storm water improvements.
- $3.50 increase in the city’s monthly solid waste fee brings the total to $10.50 per month.
New Hanover County:
- Property taxes increase by 1-cent per every $100 of valuation, which raises the rate to 57.5 cents, a 3.6 percent increase.
- The county’s fire service tax rate is reduced from 7.9-cents per $100 in valuation to 7-cents.
- The county’s tipping fee at its landfill is reduced from $55 per ton to $52 per ton.
Wake County:
- Education is the focus of debate this year.
- The public school system has asked for $48.3 million in new funding, which equates to 14 percent over last year’s budget. That would mean a 3.9-cent increase in the property tax.
- The county manager only recommends $34 million in new funding. That would mean a 2.9-cent increase per $100 of property value.
- One commissioner wants school breakfast available for all students at 15 schools.
- Commissioners also have to decide on requests for funding from the N.C. Symphony, which already receives state funding, and The Healing Place, a nonprofit for homeless with drug and alcohol problems.
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