The recommended budget for Orange County has been created to operate at a revenue neutral tax rate while addressing priorities of providing safety net services for the county.
The new recommended budget will necessitate a change in the way services are delivered in various departments and reductions in county programs are recommended across the board.
The $177.6 million budget developed by County Manager Laura Blackmon allocates 51.6 percent of the General Fund to county departments and the remaining 48.4 percent to fund local school districts.
Blackmon is recommending a four percent funding increase in employee health insurance effective January 1 2010.
She also is requesting to maintain the living wage at $10.12 an hour.
No employee furloughs are expected" but a 12-month hiring freeze is recommended for vacant county positions.
""The situation for next year may be worse"" she said. We want to make sure there is flexibility for next year.""
Major sources of revenue for the county include property and sales taxes" monies from other governments and fees for various services.
A new property tax rate of 85.8 cents is being recommended following property revaluations earlier this year.
It is estimated that one cent on property tax adds around $1.5 million in additional revenue.
There will be two public hearings regarding the recommended budget. The first will take place tonight at Central Orange Senior Center in Hillsborough. The second will take place May 26 at the Southern Human Services Center in Chapel Hill. The final county budget will be approved June 16.
Contact the City Editor at city@unc.edu.
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Saturday, May 18, 2024
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