Proposed budget sets 5-cent tax increase

The Alleghany County Board of Commissioners concluded their budget talks on June 11, ending with a proposal for a five-cent tax increase. A public hearing on the budget is set for June 21 at 6:30 p.m. in the conference room of the County Office Building on Main Street in Sparta. The commissioners will not vote on a final budget until after that hearing.

Earlier, the commission's budget, as proposed by the county manager, showed a four-cent increase.

The additional cent was added to help offset a proposed increase in the allocation for schools and to help fund future years' costs for two building projects.

County Manager Don Adams told the board in his budget message that work on the renovations to the Alleghany County Courthouse and the Cash and Carry building will cost the county about $76,000 in this year's budget. However, within two years the payments on the loan to finance the two projects will be $264,000. While some of the county's debt load will be relieved in the next five years, it will not be enough to offset those costs, Adams said.

The total cost of both projects is about $2.2 million.

He noted that a five-cent tax increase would be safer for the county's budget needs in future years.

He pointed out in his budget message that the board would have to either raise taxes more or cut expenditures in future budget years to help finance the renovation work in the future.

The commissioners also made other changes to this year's budget, adding a part-time position in the Alleghany Soil and Water District office.

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