Beaufort County council hears broad budget requests as staff works to keep levy millage neutral

Beaufort County held a budget workshop in which elected officials, county staff and outside agencies presented fiscal year 2027 requests and updates as county finance staff complete valuation work needed to finalize revenue estimates. County Chief Financial Officer Pinky Harriet told council that staff "are just wrapping up entering personnel numbers in our budget and received our real property and personal property assessments this week," and that mill-value calculations — a key revenue input — remain outstanding.

The administration is building step-and-merit pay increases into the draft budget and is assuming a 2% merit pool with a 1% cost-of-living adjustment, Harriet said. She urged the council to await finalized mill values before concluding how much of those personnel costs will affect taxpayers. "We are trying to remain mill neutral," Harriet said.

Presenters included the solicitor, sheriff, auditor, judges, conservation and service agencies, transit and economic development organizations. Several agencies asked the county to provide local matches for state or federal grants, while others sought targeted operating increases to cover staffing and contracted services. The council repeatedly emphasized its policy goal of keeping the budget millage-neutral, asking staff to return with analyses that show the net impact of the various requests.

Next steps: Harriet and administration staff said they will complete mill-value calculations, review agency proposals with the administrator, and return a consolidated budget recommendation to the council that shows necessary tradeoffs to meet the millage-neutral directive.