Photo by Jason Benavides

May 2. The 2023 Fiscal Year town budget is scheduled to be released at tonight’s Town Board Meeting. Town Manager Andrew Grant will provide the details for the commissioners; highlights of the $28 million spending plan will be available for residents online beginning Tuesday May 3.

The current 2022 fiscal year budget is $26.1 million, an increase of some $3 million over the prior year’s budget. The proposed increase for next year’s budget is 7.28 percent.

The budget reflects a 22 percent increase in personnel expenses, three-quarters of which is related to public safety.

A public hearing will be held Monday May 16 at Town Hall.

The current town tax rate is 0.2220 per $100 assessed value, among the lowest in the region.

Pursuant to state law, the town must adopt a budget by July 1.

—Also at Monday’s meeting, the Town Board is expected to approve an agreement between Charlotte and Cornelius which will permit the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Dept. to provide animal control services on an as needed basis to the Town,  at a rate of $240 per call for service. This will supplement the town’s police animal control operation.

The May 2 meeting will take place in Town Hall on Catawba Avenue, and can also be viewed online at www.cornelius.org; look for watch meetings online.