Bertie County’s five year streak of not raising taxes came to end Friday as the county commissioners approved a 6.5-cent tax increase on a $100 valuation for FY 2024-2025.
The vote was 3-2 with Commissioners Ron Wesson and Michael White dissenting.
The approval process for this year’s budget was not without challenges for management and the commissioners.
What began as a proposed 1.5-cent tax increase on $100 valuation jumped to a proposed 4.5-cent increase after management discovered a $1.4 million error in their revenue projections. The additional two-cent increase, raising the proposed 4.5 cents to 6.5 cents, is due to a $3 an hour raise for EMS workers.
Bertie County EMS Director David LaFond requested the increase in order to attract and retain EMS employees.
“We have a number of vacancies in the Departments of EMS, as well as non-emergency transport, and the request has been for the EMS employees to receive an increase of $3 an hour instead of three percent and, of course, and I've told the board that on more than one occasion that I do recommend that and I see the importance of doing that so that our rates can be competitive so that we can fill our vacancies and not only attract people, but to retain the current employees that we have,” said Bertie County Manager Juan Vaughan.
Vaughan went on to explain the cost would be an additional $317,000 per year.
“Either we would have to find those additional funds in our budget or the other option, which is one that I don't recommend, but it is possible to increase the tax rate an additional two pennies going from 4.5 cents to 6.5 cents,” he said. “The other option that I would recommend would be taking a look at the budget to see where those funds could come from.”
Budget discussions targeting the Bertie County Public School budget was a hot topic.
Vaughan had recommended decreasing the school’s appropriation due to decreasing costs for the school system and the fact they received substantial revenue from the sale of the Askewville School.
“You think about Bertie County Public Schools in my recommended budget, it was recommended to decrease the public schools appropriation because of the decreased cost and increased fund balance and the closing of facilities that house schools, and even an upcoming facility closing the houses school,” said Vaughan. “I just urge the commissioners to consider that.”
Commissioner Ron Wesson, a strong supporter of Bertie schools, concurred with Vaughan.
“Mr. Chairman, I'd like to speak to my concern and my interest, and I have said in our last meeting around this budget that I will not vote for approval of this budget for this very reason. We've cut virtually every department in this county government that we can cut, but we refuse to cut the department or the agency that we fund that I think is in the best financial shape and that is the school system,” said Wesson. “But here's the thing. That $1 million from the sale of Askewville preschool, at least half of that money should have gone to the citizens of this county. They paid for that school and that money should have gone to them to help reduce their tax burden.”
White disapproved of the entire budget process and expressed his dissatisfaction.
“I just want to start by expressing my dissatisfaction from the county manager's handling of this budget from the outset. It's clear that this budget was rushed and poorly executed,” White said. “Errors in the figures and the lack of oversight by the manager created significant challenges for us. While it's inevitable not everyone will be pleased with any budget we approve, it's crucial to recognize that continual tax increases are unsustainable given the current economic climate of inflation.”
White voiced his frustration, claiming at the last work session the commissioners made suggested cuts that would fund the school system and alleviate an additional increase over the 4.5 cents.
White proposed an interim budget be approved so the commissioners could look into alleviating non-emergency transport to make up the needed revenue for an EMS pay increase.
Commissioners Ron Roberson, Corey Balance and board chair John Trent strongly supported the 6.5- cent increase. Trent proposed a six-cent tax increase last year and although he had concerns this year, advocated for the increase.
“I think it's very important we keep services moving to be able to do this. I also think that we also learned lessons back in 2014 and 13 when the school budget was cut 500,000 and was cut down to $2.5 million. And then we had to raise it,” said Trent. “As I stated last year, I made it very clear when I stated we needed a six cent tax increase last year.
“Here we are. We kick the can down the road and we're here again,” he continued. “If our citizens don't want to do that, that's one thing, but I think it's prudent. I think it's rational and I think it's something that needs to be done. And I think that we need to do this to keep this EMS system moving forward.”
The new FY 2024-2025 budget with a tax rate of $.93 cents per $100 valuation goes into effect on July 1.
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