Sussex County adopted its 2014 budget Tuesday.
Sussex County Council voted unanimously to approve the nearly $118-million spending plan. The overall budget is about $3 million less than this year’s budget, due largely to reductions in sewer assessment rates as long-term debt payments for the systems end. The general fund portion of the budget is expected to rise by 8 percent to $3.7 million, fueled by an expected increase in realty transfer tax transfer and other fees associated with a rebounding housing market.
The budget does not include a property tax increase, leaving rates where they’ve been since 1990. That rate is 44.5 cents per $100 of assessed value or an average of about $100 dollars for a single family home, according to county officials.
The only debate before Council's vote came over a 2 percent bonus for county employees based on their salary. Councilman Vance Phillips moved to offer all employees a flat bonus of 840 dollars saying it’s not fair to give lower salaried workers less.
County Administrator Todd Lawson told Council the budget committee stood by its two percent recommendation.
“If you do take a look at the higher earners, they’re also in a higher tax bracket," noted Lawson" "So actually the higher earners of the county’s employees take home less from the bonus if taxes are taken out. There’s roughly 60 employees at the top of the scale that will take home less than the lower scaled employees.”
Phillips' motion failed, but Council President Michael Vincent, in voting to approve the budget, said there is a need to examine how the county’s almost 500 employees are compensated.
“It was a conservative budget – as it should be. And I’m sure we will revisit this next year this whole idea of compensation packages – not just salaries, but the whole thing," said Vincent. "After we review it, next’s year’s budget will have some reflection of that, I assume.”
Many county residents will see a sewer rate decrease as part of the 2014 budget due to a recent refinancing and the retirement of long-term debt.