The Daily Southerner, Tarboro, NC

Local News

July 20, 2012

Princeville budget includes 14-cent tax increase

Staff Writer Calvin Adkins

TARBORO — PRINCEVILLE — Princeville town officials on Thursday reviewed a proposed $1.8 million budget for 2012-2013 that includes a 14-cent tax increase. The current rate is 62 cents per $100 valuation.

The review took place during a special called budget workshop at which town officials did not mention the proposed tax increase during the 90-minute session.

The proposal appropriates $946,140 in the general fund, $808,896 in the water and sewer fund, and $35,700 each into the street maintenance and Powell Bill funds. The proposed budget represents a $300,000 increase when compared to last year’s $1.5 million budget.

According to state law, the proposed budget must be made available for public review for 10 days followed by a public hearing. Mayor Priscilla Everette-Oates said the public hearing would be held Monday, July 30 during the town's monthly meeting that was pushed back one week to accommodate the hearing.

Interim Town Manager Maggie Boyd went over the budget but did not read a budget message that is traditionally read during budget workshops .

Town officials had mixed reviews.

Everette-Oates, along with commissioners Calvin Sherrod and Isabelle Baker supported the budget while commissioners Ann Howell and Gwen Knight were opposed.

"They increased the budget to $300,000 when the town went broke last year," Howell said. "They need to go back and rework this budget because it is not satisfying. "The numbers, they don't add up. I don't know where they get some of those figures from. They don't have any money and that is what disturbs me. They need to go back and look at this again before they put it out for public questioning."

One of the line items that concerned Howell was $43,297 miscellaneous expenditures last year. For 2012-2013, the manager is recommending only $500.

While Howell was voicing her displeasure, Sherrod complimented Boyd throughout the meeting.

"From what I saw, it looks like a good budget," he said after the meeting. "I hope that we can get it finished by July 30."

Howell said she's going to vote against it because "The numbers just doesn't add up," she said.

Purvis-Andrews said, "I like it."

July 31 is the second budget deadline imposed on the town by the state. The first was June 30, when all municipalities are required to have a completed budget.

Staff members from the Local Government Commission (LGC), which has raised questions about the town’s financial affairs, assisted in preparing the proposed budget.

LGC noted in April that the town’s general fund had only $1,000. On July 17, LGC issued a 14-day warning to town officials to get the finances in order or their financial records would impounded.

Tuesday is Day 14.

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