Rockingham County holds property tax rate at 58.01¢; boosts school, college and sheriff funding and adds 401(k) match

The Rockingham County Board of Commissioners on June 2 approved the county budget for the coming fiscal year, maintaining the property tax rate at 58.01¢ and increasing allotments to local schools and the community college by 3%.

"The biggest and most important item that the commissioners deal with every year is the budget," Kevin Berger, chairman of the Rockingham County Board of Commissioners, said during a summary of the meeting. Berger said the board kept the tax rate at 58.01¢ and increased contributions to the schools and Rockingham Community College by 3% each.

Commissioners said the sheriff's department will receive about $2,800,000 in additional funds this year; Berger added that funding for the sheriff's department has increased about $4,000,000 over the last two fiscal years. County officials described roughly one-third of the county budget as discretionary and provided a breakdown of how each dollar is allocated: 29¢ to public safety, 25¢ to health and human services, 19¢ to education and 21¢ to general government, as described at the meeting.

County leaders also emphasized employee retention as a priority. Berger said vacancies have been reduced in recent years and attributed the improvement to the commission's focus on pay and benefits. "This year, we're adding a 401(k) match for our employees," Berger said, noting the change was intended to help employees save for retirement.

The board did not present vote tallies or the full budget document in the public remarks summarized at the meeting; officials directed members of the public to county management for detailed budget materials and contact information.