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County staff propose half‑cent tax increase to offset SNAP reimbursement cut; general fund projected at $81.17M
Summary
At a Beaufort County budget workshop, staff recommended a half‑cent property tax increase to make up roughly $400,000 lost after a federal change cut SNAP administrative reimbursements; projected general‑fund revenues total $81,172,586 with ad valorem taxes near $44.27M.
At a budget workshop, county finance staff proposed a half‑cent increase in the property tax rate to make up for a reduction in federal reimbursements for administration of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
Anita, a county finance staff member, told commissioners that ad valorem (property) taxes are the county's largest revenue source, “about 54.5% of all the revenue,” and that the recommended ad valorem levy estimate is roughly $44.27 million for the coming fiscal year. She said staff built a 1.5% growth factor into property‑tax projections.
Brian Allagood, a staff member leading the presentation, and Anita explained the proposed half‑cent adjustment is intended to replace an estimated $400,000 loss tied to a federal change described in the meeting as HR 1, which reduced the SNAP administrative reimbursement rate to counties from 50% to 25%. Brian summarized the numbers staff used and said the recommended total general fund revenue is $81,172,586.
Staff also reported other revenue changes that affect the bottom line: sales tax is projected at about $14.955 million using a 3.1% growth estimate from the League of Municipalities; investment earnings were reduced by roughly $300,000 from this year's budget because of lower expected yields; and permit and deed recording fees are projected to be largely flat (registered deed revenue near $200,000 and building inspection fees near $150,000).
Officials said emergency medical services transport revenue will increase by about $600,000 after the county takes over transport services for a local district, and staff flagged several accounting and transfer items — including moving some district billing into county collections — that affect reported revenue.
Why it matters: staff framed the half‑cent proposal as a narrowly targeted offset for a specific, federally driven funding shortfall for a mandated program. If the board adopts the adjustment, taxpayers would see the change reflected in the county's next adopted tax rate. The board recessed the workshop and will resume detailed budget work at its next meeting, including enterprise funds and outside‑agency requests.
