Proposed budget
for the County of Johnston |
 |
A rundown of key components
of the manager's proposed
budget
Here are highlights of what's included in County Manager Rick Hester's proposal :
• It's balanced using the current property-tax rate of 78 cents per $100 even after countywide revaluation that raised assessments for most residents and business. A "revenue neutral" tax rate after revaluation would "likely be in the 70-71 cents range," Mr. Hester notes.
• The total General Fund budget is $241.5 million --- a 5% increase over 2018-19. Revenue from property taxes is forecast at $134.7 million (up 14.9%). Revenue from the county's share of sales taxes is expected to be $38,346,724 (up 2.6%). The manager proposes no appropriation from the county's General Fund Balance to help meet expenses. The current year's budget takes almost $5 million from Fund Balance. (The county is striving to maintain a healthy Fund Balance in its quest for a higher rating from bond agencies that would reduce interest costs.)
• Mr. Hester is recommending $66,042,844 for Johnston County Public Schools --- an increase of 3.9% that's far short of the Johnston school board's request for $84,062,810. He notes in his budget message: "The most recent North Carolina Public School Forum newsletter ranks Johnston County 5th in the State of North Carolina in the 'relative effort' category for school current-expense funding." (That's figured on a county's "ability to pay" alongside actual "effort" to fund schools.)
• The county's debt service in the year ahead is budgeted at $37,498,947 --- a slight increase from the current year's amount --- and includes the first $20-million issue of school bonds from the $76 million approved by Johnston's voters last November. The county's debt service in 2019-20 is to be covered by an appropriation of $28,910,123 from the General Fund, $6,347,500 from sales taxes, and $2,300,000 in proceeds from the North Carolina Education Lottery.
• The budget includes funding for industrial incentive grants previously approved: $2,553,000 for Novo Nordisk, $2,450,000 for Grifols (including grants promised its predecessor, Talecris), $50,000 for Caterpillar, and $20,000 for Kenly Truckstop/Corbett Partners. A new item on the list for incentive grants is "Four Oaks EDIG Waterline Fire Protection" --- apparently in anticipation of incentives for a company whose name will be revealed at a public hearing next week in Four Oaks (see item on today's front page).
• Mr. Hester is recommending a 2.1% pay raise for county employees in July and "a potential pay adjustment in October of up to 1.4%." His budget includes 28 new positions in the General Fund: 8 in Emergency Medical Services, 7 in the Department of Social Services, 7 in the Sheriff's Department, and one each in the offices of Child Support, Register of Deeds, Planning, Animal Services, Veterans Service, plus a new position of "parks, greenway, and open spaces coordinator."
• Another 7 new positions are budgeted in Public Utilities, the expense to be covered by an increase in water and sewer fees charged by the county. Much of the revenue from those higher utility charges will be used for capital projects related to Johnston's residential and commercial growth.
• Recommended appropriations for county-supported agencies outside the General Fund include $507,121 for the Public Library of Johnston County and Smithfield (up from $456,000 this year), $170,624 for the Johnston County Heritage Center (up from $158,388), $242,395 for Community and Senior Services (up from $234,062), $201,661 for Johnston County Youth Services (unchanged), $119,785 for the N.C. Forest Service (unchanged), $86,000 for the Triangle J Council of Governments ($1,000 increase), $5,000 for the Upper Coastal Plain Council of Governments ($1,000 decrease), and $55,000 for Preparing to Soar Teen Court (up from $40,000). Other agencies are scheduled to recent the same amounts they got this year: Office of Juvenile Justice ($39,000), Health Closes-Health Partnership ($25,970), Harbor ($25,000), Johnston County Arts Council ($10,000), and Johnston County Juvenile Crime Prevention ($3,600). Unfunded in the manager's proposal for 2019-20 are the Johnston County Partnership for Children ($25,000 this past year), the Boys and Girls Club of Johnston ($25,000 this past year), and the Smithfield Rescue Mission ($21,000 this past year).
Examine the proposed budget in full on the county's website>