Proposed budget shows some revenues growing, others likely to decrease
Published 7:23 pm Thursday, April 12, 2018
Washington’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2018-2019, which begins July 1, shows a ups and downs when it comes to some revenue sources.
Revenue generated by the issuance of licenses and revenue generated by taxes other than property taxes are expected to increase by approximately 4 percent. “Sales tax revenues are projected to increase and local occupancy tax revenues are also trending upward,” according to City Manager Bobby Roberson.
Revenue from the city’s property tax are expected to increase by .04 percent, Roberson estimates.
Revenues generated by sales and services are projected to decline by 4 percent because of the loss of EMS fees from the Old Ford and Clark’s Neck areas. Beaufort County cancelled its contract with the city to provide EMS coverage in those areas.
Revenue produced by building permits and related fees are projected to increase 6 percent because of increased residential and commercial growth in the city, according to Roberson’s proposed budget.
Funding for outside agencies remains the same as the current level, with the exception of the one-time $8,000 allocation to Open Door Community Center in the current budget.
The proposed budget moves the subsidy for Washington-Warren Airport into the economic-development section of the budget. That subsidy in the proposed budget comes to $244,769, which will come from the general fund. The subsidy for this fiscal year is $217,518.
The proposed budget for Washington Electric Utilities is $34.8 million, down $1 million from the current budget.
The commercial fee charged by the city’s stormwater utility is increased in the proposed budget to provide more funding for future stormwater improvements.
The proposed budget includes $98,000 for a new fishing pier at Havens Gardens and $107,000 in Powell Bill funds for street paving and resurfacing. In the past six months, city officials have increased their focus on improving unpaved streets in the city.
The proposed budget also allocates $166,970 to be added to the public-safety capital reserve fund. That revenue comes from a part of the property taxes collected by the city. The city’s police station capital fund increases to $1.56 million in the proposed budget, up from $1.39 million in the current budget.
The city continues to look for a suitable site on which to build a new police station.