Sussex County unveiled its proposed FY 2015 budget Tuesday.
The $117.3 million overall spending plan is $400,00 smaller than the current year, thanks largely to completion of some capital projects.
The budget shrinks despite an anticipated increase in realty transfer tax revenue, which is a projected to hit nearly $21 million. The budget only calls for spending $16 million of that revenue. County Administrator Todd Lawson says a cautious philosophy is appropriate as Sussex deals with needs created by seven percent population growth over the past five years.
“Through measured growth the county is responding to the increasing demand for our services and addressing the areas of greatest need, yet we will move forward at a deliberate pace to ensure that we serve the citizens of this great county while fulfilling our fiduciary responsibility to them,” said Lawson in his budget presentation to County Council.
The budget plan calls for 5 new full-time workers and 6 new part-timers to handle new service demands. But Lawson notes with attrition, overall full-time staff will decrease by one in FY 2015. The budget also seeks a two percent cost-of-living pay increase for current county employees.
Lawson adds that, under the proposal, property taxes will hold steady again.
“For the 25th year in a row, we are not proposing any changes in our property tax rate," said Lawson "What does that mean to the average county homeowner? For a single family home, the average tax rate will remain roughly 108 dollars a year or 30 cents per day. The average tax for a manufactured home – that’s $44.66 or 12 cents a day.”
The proposed budget does call for sewer fees to go up for the first time in 15 years, costing most residents an additional 8 dollars.
A public hearing on the budget is set for June 17th. By law, the County’s five-person council must adopt a budget by June 30.