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County budget debate centers on half‑penny tax proposal, ARP reallocation and parks maintenance
Summary
Brunswick County commissioners spent most of a meeting weighing a proposed half‑penny property tax rate increase and alternatives including reallocating ARP/COVID funds to cover recurring parks, EMS and public‑safety items; no final tax vote was taken.
Commissioners and county staff opened an extended review of the recommended general fund budget and a set of high‑priority add‑backs that together could raise the tax rate by roughly a half‑penny.
The discussion focused on recurring operating requests—most prominently additional recurring maintenance money for Parks and Recreation—and whether one‑time ARP/COVID funds should be reallocated to avoid a tax increase. County staff presented figures showing the manager’s recommended budget is balanced at the current 0.342 rate but that the five “plus” items under consideration would add about 0.0052 in the rate (roughly a half‑penny); an EMS billing change would add a further 0.0012 if chosen instead of other offsets.
Commissioners debated tradeoffs. Supporters of a modest tax increase said the average homeowner would pay about $20 a year…
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