THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, June 7, 1995 TAG: 9506070465
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY ANNE SAITA, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CURRITUCK LENGTH: Medium: 68 lines
Currituck County property owners can expect a 9-cent tax increase next year, according to the county's preliminary 1995-96 budget.
Real estate property taxes are expected to increase to 65 cents per $100 valuation to help pay the debt on $16 million in general obligation school bonds set to be sold later this month.
For a homeowner with property valued at $100,000, the new tax rate will raise bills from $560 to $650, or $7.50 more a month.
The real estate tax was the only one slated for an increase Monday evening at the Board of Commissioners meeting in Currituck.
A public hearing on the budget, which is available at the county clerk's office, is scheduled for the next commission meeting at 8 p.m. June 19. That meeting will be held at the Senior Citizens Center while the courthouse is under repair.
The overall budget of $41.5 million is 7.2 percent higher than last year. County valuation went up 2.2 percent to just more than $1.5 billion, said Dan Scanlon, county finance director.
Other revenue sources also were up. Sales tax receipts increased 22 percent, land-transfer tax collections were up 11 percent and occupancy tax receipts rose 30 percent.
``Financially, we're a pretty solid county,'' Scanlon said.
The largest expenditure in the budget is $16.5 million to build a new Currituck County High School in Barco. Ground-breaking took place late last month, and the school is scheduled to open sometime during the fall of 1996.
The new school - the most expensive county building in history - will be funded with voter-approved 20-year bonds. The first payment of an anticipated $1.04 million debt is expected in April 1996.
Another proposal calls for $215,000 to design a new judicial complex. The facility would provide additional courtroom and office space for the clerk of court and register of deeds.
The current, one-courtroom building has been in use since 1842.
``Numerous trial delays and problems have occurred over the years because of the inadequacy of our court facilities,'' said County Manager Bill Richardson Monday.
``They were built for an era long passed and are not acceptable for the needs of a rapidly growing, modern county,'' he said.
Also under consideration is a geographic information system that would cost telephone customers a dollar more in their monthly bills.
The GIS, when completed in five years, would enhance services such as 911 emergency dispatches, tax assessments, records management and planning and zoning.
Other budget highlights include:
Unchanged fire and water and sewer district tax rates. An increase in the fire tax for the Fruitville District may result from a work session Monday.
A $325 cost-of-living increase for county employees distributed over a 12-month period, with an additional $325 being given in December.
A $55 increase for curbside trash pickup for Outer Banks customers to keep the operation self-supporting.
Four new sheriff's deputies to be paid for from the county's occupancy tax. Next year's occupancy tax is projected to raise $922,500 for tourism-related projects and events.
A public beach access facility at Pine Island for $180,000.
$52,196 for fire and rescue communications upgrades and $31,856 for a fire marshall.
$26,111 to automate the public library in Barco. by CNB