It’s budget time: Town Manager Andrew Grant
May. 18. By Dave Vieser. Next year’s proposed town budget, which totals $26.1 million, will keep the property tax rate at .222 per $100 of assessed valuation while including funds to provide raises for sworn police officers, merit increases for other town employees and continue funding for six full-time firefighters.
A public hearing on the FY 2021-22 budget was opened last night and will continue June 7 at Town Hall. The new budget year begins July 1.
Town Manager Andrew Grant said that he and town staff have been working on the spending plan all year. “Normally we kick in the budget preparation around October for the following fiscal year, but with COVID and many unanswered questions, this has been a non-stop process all year long,” he said.
Highlights:
—The tax rate unchanged. It remains at 0.222 cents per $100 assessed value. Town property taxes represent between a fourth and a third of the average annual homeowner’s bill, with the remainder being county taxes.
—Police: $42,000 is budgeted to provide a 1 percent market adjustment to all sworn police officers.
–Full time firefighters: $187,000 is budgeted to maintain the six full-time firefighters hired during the past year..
—Merit increase for employees: Grant has included $278,000 to cover an average 3.25 percent merit raise for all employees.
—Electricities rate hike: A 4.9 percent residential rate hike in each of five years is included in the budget to be implemented beginning July 2021.
Although the town anticipates receiving funds from the federal American Rescue Plan (ARP) too many questions remain at this time to specify the precise amounts.
Budget deadlines
Per state law, the budget must be adopted by June 30. The board public hearing will resume on Monday June 7 and if necessary Monday June 21.
Copies of the budget will be posted on the town web site: www.cornelius.org.
County update
A “no tax increase” budget has also been proposed by Mecklenburg County County Manager Dena Diorio and may be adopted by Mecklenburg County county commissioners Tuesday evening June 1. However, that proposal has generated opposition from CMS officials so its final disposition remains unclear at this time.
