THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, March 22, 1995 TAG: 9503220261
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY PAUL SOUTH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: MANTEO LENGTH: Medium: 82 lines
As Dare County prepares to work out a new two-year budget, officials are faced with government's age-old quandary:
Raise taxes? Cut services?
County department heads will make their funding requests to the county's board of commissioners beginning Monday. County Manager Terry Wheeler gave commissioners a preview of the task before them at a regular meeting of the board earlier this week.
``You're going to have to decide whether or not to raise taxes or cut spending,'' Wheeler said. Without factoring in education spending, projected revenues fall $2 million short of funding requests in each of the next two fiscal years.
For fiscal 1995-96, projected revenues amount to $30,812,062, while budget requests total $33,009,952, a deficit of $2,197,890. For 1996-97, anticipated revenues total $31,062,562, while requests total $33,129,312, a deficit of $2,066,750.
Projected revenues for fiscal 1995-96 are less than estimated actual revenues for the current year because of a $75,000 decrease in projected collection of back taxes. County officials say that since taxes are being collected at a rapid rate, there will be less delinquent taxes. The county will also lose $160,000 in revenue from other counties because of the construction of the Wilson County Jail, and $308,000 in one-time revenue because of the close-out of the jail construction fund.
Among budget requests:
$50,000 to continue upgrading county facilities to meet Occupational Safety and Health Administration codes and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
$143,567 in debt service for the Fessenden Center on Hatteras Island.
A $100,000 increase in Medicaid spending for Dare County Social Services.
A ``large increase'' for the Dare County Board of Elections in order to meet requirements of the National Voter Registration Act, also known as the ``Motor Voter'' Bill.
An additional Youth Resource Officer and 16 new vehicles for the Dare County Sheriff's Department.
An additional $53,185 for the Dare County Animal Shelter to meet standards outlined in the North Carolina Animal Welfare Act.
A recommended increase in water rates and impact fees. According to county officials, there has not been an increase in six years.
It is unknown at this point how much money the Dare County Board of Education will seek in the budget process. Representatives of the Board of Commissioners and the school board are in negotiations this week trying to hammer out an agreement. The county provided approximately $6 million in funding for the schools this fiscal year.
However, Commission Chairman Robert V. ``Bobby'' Owens Jr. said earlier this week that he expects the next fiscal year to be ``the year of education'' in the county.
In recent budget debates, school funding was one of the major sticking points. However, Commissioner Doug Langford said the two boards are working toward finding common goals to save the public from a ``donnybrook'' over funding.
``We've been working very well together,'' Langford said. ``The atmosphere has been very cordial.''
Langford said that it is too early to tell what will happen in the process. However, he said he expects the board to do everything it can to avoid raising taxes.
``We're going to take a hard, realistic look at these requests,'' Langford said. ``We'll be looking for ways to do things more efficiently, in ways to save money. I believe we can find enough to balance the general operating budget.''
Langford said if a tax increase is necessary, it will be associated with a specific project or need, so that taxpayers will understand the purpose for the boost.
Langford said that in 1993-94, the commission was faced with paying for a new detention center, and the prospect of a 27 percent increase in property taxes. However, through downsizing and reorganization, that was avoided.
``This year is not going to be easy. Those mechanisms we used then are not available to us now,'' he said. ``We're going to do everything we can to fairly scrutinize these requests, and cut where we can. I believe it's the board's goal to balance the budget without raising taxes.''
Budget hearings begin at 8 a.m. Monday. by CNB