Submitted budget now available for public review
The Town of Leland has proposed no increase in property taxes for the upcoming fiscal year.
As part of the 2019-20 General Fund Budget, submitted to Town Council during its monthly meeting on Thursday, May 23, Town staff has recommended maintaining the current ad valorem tax rate of 21 cents per $100 valuation.
The budget also includes:
- Funding for 12 new full-time positions within various Town departments, including Police, Public Services, Planning, Finance, and Grounds and Maintenance.
- A new $30 fee per vehicle. Revenue from this Municipal Vehicle Tax will be used for road maintenance and repairs.
- A 20 percent increase in Fire Fees for the fire jurisdiction.
- $336,000 to replace 42 self-contained breathing apparatus for the Leland Fire Department. “Replacing all equipment at once ensures the consistency of available equipment to all apparatus-dependent personnel,” said Carly Hagg, Finance Director for the Town of Leland.
- Approximately $571,000 for the contracting of recycling services for Leland residents.
Council has approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Brunswick County regarding the transfer of EMS services to the County and the 2019-20 budget does not include any EMS-related expenditures. As part of that MOU – approved by the Brunswick County Board of Commissioners on May 20 – the transfer of EMS services will occur July 1, 2019.
The submitted budget is now available for public viewing online, as well as in person at Leland Town Hall, 102 Town Hall Drive, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. A budget hearing has been set for 6 p.m. on Monday, June 3 at Town Hall.