New Spring Lake Town Manager Jon Rorie’s proposed fiscal 2024-25 budget, presented to the Spring Lake Board of Commissioners on Wednesday, seeks increases in property taxes and some fees.
“It is a conservative and balanced approach,” Rorie said. “But as with all things, prices have gone up and the revenues need to balance the expenses.”
The $15,037,768 plan calls for a property tax rate increase of 9.1 cents per $100 valuation — from 65 cents to 74.1 cents. Proposed fee increases include:
- Sanitation fees; up $89 annually, from $307 to $384, plus an additional $12 yearly litter control fee.
- Stormwater fees; up $15 annually, from $33 to $48 ($4 per month).
- Water and sewer fees; up 5%.
With the town’s revenue projections dropping because of Cumberland County’s move to an ad valorem sales tax collection method, Rorie said the property tax rate increase was necessary. Previous estimates by the town had Spring Lake losing up to $1.4 million with the collection method change; Rorie said Wednesday the number could be between $500,000 and $1.8 million.
“With a 98% collection rate, one penny will generate $41,697,” Rorie said. “This would help generate an additional $378,000.”
Adding to the operational deficit is the high cost of operating the Manchester Fire District Station, which serves the Manchester district and low-wealth, unincorporated areas of Cumberland County.
“It’s driving the shortfall,” said Rorie, who’s seeking additional funds from the county and other sources to help cover its operational expenses.
“I don’t like it but I think it’s very reasonable to think about how we can work together,” Rorie said, adding that the extra protection offered by the station justified additional financial support.
He described the budget as “a spending plan to carry out work by the board.”
“One of the goals is to provide high-quality services,” he said, citing police and protection, inspections, finance, administration and tax collection.
Rorie said services would be improved with administration hires in the finance and human resources departments, including a finance director, but that he was waiting for this budget to pass before he offered the positions. The offers would be made shortly thereafter July 1, he said, if the budget was approved.
As part of his presentation, Rorie reminded the board that his proposed property tax increase affected them, as well as the rest of Spring Lake’s property owners.
“When you are making a decision on raising taxes, you are making a decision to tax yourself,” he said. “People don’t need to forget that. You are not trying to rob them. You are not trying to steal from them. You are making a decision to tax yourselves.”
Commissioner Marvin Lackman said that in today’s economy, prices for most things have increased, including the services that the town needs to provide. Other board members echoed that.
“Everything is a business,” Commissioner Adrian Thompson said.
Mayor Kia Anthony said it was important to see details in budget numbers because people become alarmed when they hear the words “tax increase.”
“You wouldn’t give us your debit card to go grocery shopping without oversight, right?” Anthony asked those sitting in the conference room and watching on YouTube.
She encouraged all residents to review the 2024-25 budget at Spring Lake Town Hall or when it’s posted online.
The N.C. Local Government Commission, which is continuing to provide oversight on the town’s fiscal operation, will hold a public hearing on the budget on June 10 during the commissioners’ next meeting. It marks the third year the LGC has held a budget hearing; the first was in 2022 after the state took financial control of the town amid concerns about budget deficits, fiscal disarray and an investigation into missing money.
The work session will begin at 6 p.m., and the public hearing on the proposed budget will be held at 7 p.m. in a joint meeting of the Local Government Commission and the Spring Lake Board of Commissioners at the Grady Howard conference room of the Spring Lake municipal complex.
CityView‘s mission is to bring Cumberland County’s essential issues into view. To help sustain our work and to grow our impact even more, we’re asking our readers to consider becoming a member. Click here to join.
