Property owners in Sampson County may finally get what they’ve looked for — a year without a property tax increase. But keeping the tax rate at its current 84.5 cents per $100 valuation will mean a number of cuts to departments, no raise for employees and less funding than anticipated for public school children. In addition, some fees could go up, although water and sewer rates are expected to remain the same.

On Monday night, county manager Rick Moorefield unveiled his proposed 2009-10 budget, handing out his suggested fiscal plan to commissioners, who were seeing it for the first time. During his presentation, Moorefield highlighted some of the major obstacles that he, county finance officer David Clack, and all department leaders faced in preparing this budget, but he did not go into detail about each line item.

The county manager explained to the board that there has been a 13 percent decline in sales tax, and he is expecting that figure to almost double next year to about 23 percent. “This decline in sales tax,” Moorefield wrote in his budget message to commissioners, “is the most significant impact. It is important to note that the decline began in this fiscal year and the estimate for FY2009-10 represents a 36 percent decrease from the actual receipts in 2007-08, in the amount of $3,222,101.

In addition, he noted that the county also faced a problem with being overpaid the quarter cent sales tax by the state last year which has required Sampson County government to refund $438,000 of the overpayment in the current year, with a balance of $145,500 due in the first two months of 2009-10.

Deep cuts are also reflected in the proposed fiscal plan.

Moorefield remarked that his recommended budget includes a five percent cut from each county department; a decrease in the expected per pupil funding for the county and city schools, which will see a three, rather than seven, percent increase in per pupil expenditure, from $793 per pupil to $817 per student. In previous discussions and approved changes, the county schools had asked for a seven percent increase in funding to help open the old Union High School at the total of $317,000. However, Moorefield’s budget only accounts for a $272,781 increase in funds.

“I take full responsibility for this,” Moorefield said, arguing that when the board approved the increase of $317,000 in February, the county was unable to predict the fiscal struggles it has currently faced.

Listening to this, commissioner Jefferson Strickland asked that the county manager take another look at the budget to see if it were at all possible for the promised funds to the schools be included.

Moorefield answered that the only other way to cut, at this point, would be in the workforce itself. At present, he said, there are no proposed reductions in staff.

In an interview after the meeting, Strickland elaborated that he fully understands the budget constraints and the current fiscal environment, but he stressed his concern with promises made but not fulfilled.

“If there is any way to fulfill this promise, me, I’d like to do it.” However, he also explained that if the only way to increase the schools’ budgets is to cut a position, then he would not be in favor of such a move.

The county manager also elaborated that there are no reduction of services in his proposed budget nor are there monies budgeted for increases in services, either. There are, he said, a few minor increases in fees, but he did not elaborate on any of them, only pointing out that there was no proposed hike in water or sewer rates to the county’s water and sewer districts.

Moorefield did note that budgeting of some capital outlay was necessary. He pointed out that the Sheriff’s Department will receive 12 new vehicles and one ambulance will be purchased for EMS. In addition, the Department of Social Services will purchase 77 new computers.

In addition, no county employees will see a cost-of-living raise this year, if Moorefield’s proposed budget is adopted. However, the proposed fiscal plan does not call for any departments to lose employees either, except for some positions that are already frozen.

See tomorrow’s Sampson Independent for further details in regards to Moorefield’s proposed budget.

Katie Holland can be reached at 910-592-8137, ext. 136, or by e-mail at silife@myclintonnc.com.