Taxes for most municipalities in Beaufort County will remain flat in the upcoming fiscal year, with a few possible exceptions, as municipal boards across the county finalize their budgets for the 2019-20 fiscal year.

WASHINGTON PARK

Residents of Washington Park can expect their tax rate to remain the same in the coming year at 29 cents per $100 valuation, the same rate the town has maintained since the 2012-13 budget year. The total budget for the coming year is $283,020, practically unchanged from last year’s revenues and expenditures.

Mayor Tom Richter attributed the flat tax rate to efforts by town employees to reduce labor costs, exercise conservative financial practices and make careful use of town equipment.

“We’ve worked hard to keep things the same in Washington Park, because people generally like it,” Richter said. “However, when you’re trying to stay the same and everything around you changes, it takes an effort to do that.”

While the town saw between $10,000 and $15,000 in damage to the Washington Park Municipal Building during Hurricane Florence last year, Richter anticipated offsetting some of that cost through FEMA reimbursement.

BATH

Bath, likewise, will not see any increase in their taxes or municipal utility rates this year, according to town Manager Bubs Carson. The current tax rate for Bath sits at 24 cents per $100 valuation. The Bath Town Council held its public hearing on the budget last night, and Carson anticipated that it would be adopted.

Carson said the town’s biggest challenge continues to be its wastewater system. Because of issues with the system, the town is unable to move forward with any new residential or commercial development. The town is currently working with engineers and the state to find a solution for the issue, and has secured funding from the state to help redesign the system.

CHOCOWINITY

While the budget for the Town of Chocowinity has yet to be finalized, the proposed budget for the 2019-20 fiscal year includes a 2-cent tax increase, placing the tax rate at 54 cents per $100 valuation. Residents currently pay 52 cents per $100 valuation. All told, the total budget for the coming year, including water and sewer funds, is $2,486,550.

The budget also includes slight increases to the town’s water and sewer rates. The flat rate for water will increase by 15 cents for residential and 30 cents for commercial, plus an additional 5 cents per 1,000 gallons. On the sewer side, flat rates will increase by 20 cents for residential and 40 cents for commercial, with an additional 5 cents per 1,000 gallons.

Overall, Mayor Jimmy Mobley said the town was not looking at any big-ticket items in the coming year. Chocowinity will hold its budget meeting at 6 p.m. June 19.

PANTEGO

According to Pantego Town Clerk Bobbie Jo Ricks, the town’s budget remains entirely unchanged from last year, maintaining the current tax rate of 19 cents per $100 valuation.

AURORA

Aurora Town Commissioners are scheduled to hold their annual budget meeting at 8 p.m. June 17. Currently, Aurora residents pay 62 cents per $100 valuation. Further information on the town’s proposed budget was not available as of press time.