No property tax increase, ½ cent fire tax increase

The Town of Columbus approved a no property tax, no water/sewer/garbage rate increase budget for next fiscal year, which begins July 1.

The town’s fire tax rate will increase by ½ cent next year for both in town residents and Columbus Township residents.

Columbus Town Council met Thursday, June 16 and held a public hearing prior to adopting the new budget unanimously. There were no public comments regarding the budget during the public hearing.

The town recently hired an additional police officer and changed the former administrative assistant position to utility billing clerk and increased the hours from 18 hours per week to a full-time position.

The additional police officer is being funded by appropriating $23,545 from the federal seizure funds and another $20,000 from the town’s general fund budget. The police department will also be purchasing another vehicle, which will be funded through the N.C. Governor’s Highway Safety Program points.

Town council met in February for a budget retreat and prioritized what board members wanted to see accomplished in next year’s budget. The top two priorities from the budget retreat were a grinder pump at the BP lift station and repairs to the Case Street pump station.

Normally, Columbus budgets $17,000 for regular lift station maintenance, but next year that line item will include $84,000. The lift station line item next year includes $17,000 for regular maintenance, $9,100 for a grinder pump, $2,900 for two heavy duty check valves, $35,000 for a new electrical control panel at the Case Street lift station and $20,000 for two new pumps at the BP lift station.

Another major capital expense next year is $39,000 for a new tractor, with half being budgeted in the water department and the other half budgeted in the sewer department.

Columbus is expecting a little more next year than this year in occupancy tax revenue because of the impact of the Tryon International Equestrian Center. The town is budgeting to receive an additional $1,000 in occupancy tax next year, with projections at $226,000.

The town’s total tax rate, including the increase in the fire department, will be 42 cents per $100 of property valuation compared to this year’s 41.5 cents. Of the total, 35 cents is for the town’s general fund and 7 cents will be for the fire department. The fire department’s tax rate this year was 6.5 cents.