Tax rate unchanged in proposal

Caldwell County interim County Manager Bobby White unveiled his 2008-09 fiscal year budget at Monday's Board of Commissioners meeting in the City-County Chambers in Lenoir.

The $72.43 million proposal represents a $211,017.26 increase, or .29 percent, from the 2007-08 total. The guideline would keep the county's 65.99 cents property tax rate unchanged, following a 12-cent jump a year ago to close a severe budget shortfall.

White has requested a 4.76 percent increase in the county's water rates to account for Lenoir, which provides most of the public water in the county, raising its rates. He suggested, however, that the commissioners study how the new rates are implemented, depending on the purpose and overall total of use.

Also, the budget includes a $2.75 increase in the county's solid waste fee to $17.75 per year. White said the state has implemented a $2 per ton solid waste fee and has placed compliance and maintenance costs with the counties.

The county commissioners currently have scheduled two work sessions to discuss the fiscal blueprint. The first is set for Monday, May 12 at 9 a.m. at the City-County Chambers. Another meeting to involve representatives from Caldwell County Schools and Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute is slated for Thursday, May 22 at 9 a.m.

State law requires that the commissioners adopt a budget before July 1, the beginning of the new fiscal year.

Roughly two-thirds of the budget plan - $48.45 million - comes from local county funds, with the rest being paid for by federal, state and local agencies. To pay for the county's operation, $34.67 million comes from property tax receipts, $9.5 million from sales taxes and another $4.28 million from fees and services.

On the spending side, 35.7 percent, $17.3 million, of the county budget is devoted to education. Caldwell County Schools would receive the lion's share of the funding with $14.1 million, while CCC&TI would get $3.2 million. When debt service is included, education accounts for nearly 41 percent of the county's direct outlays.

The numbers prompted Commissioner Don Barrier to seek answers from the public school system and the community college as to the condition of the systems.

“I'm calling into question, frankly, how we are doing in education,” Barrier said. “Roughly one-third of our students coming out of K through 12 need remedial education. That is unacceptable.

“I want to hear their plan and vision for the next several years for education in this county. I'm not saying that our system is worse than anybody else, but we can do significantly better.”

The next sizable expenditure totals 5.8 percent of the budget for the county's allocation of nearly $2.8 million in matching funds for its share of the Medicaid program.

From a personnel standpoint, the budget calls for the addition of six full-time positions and 10 part-time jobs, effective Sept. 1. The figures include two full-time Sheriff's Office patrol officers, one full-time communications slot and eight part-time reservists. Other full-time posts include a full-time existing industries specialist for the Economic Development Commission, along with one building inspector and another animal control officer. Animal control also would receive a part-time shelter attendant, while the Caldwell Library would add another part-time staffer.

Two currently staffed positions are set to be eliminated in the budget, including a Home Health administrative spot and a solid waste enforcement officer. Five other vacant posts, including two in maintenance and three in Home Health, are scheduled to be excised.

A potentially controversial plan would shorten the service time county employees must have in order to receive retiree health care benefits. The proposal would grant county employees with 20 years of overall public service, including a minimum of 10 years with the county, a 60 percent insurance supplement. With 25-30 years, the county would pay 80 percent of the premiums, while anything more than 30 years would result in a 100 percent county liability for health insurance.

In other numbers, EMS revenues are forecast to increase $127,000 to $2.34 million, while fees from the detention center are projected to fall $350,000 to $1 million. Meanwhile, the rising price of fuel has caused travel expenses to rise nearly 13 percent, or $65,517, to $495,228.

The budget also includes a $288,000 boost to the Department of Social Services to cover additional expenses incurred by the rise in the number of children currently in foster care.

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