No tax increase for city residents
By Barbara Arntsen
Published in News on June 8, 2004 2:03 PM
The Goldsboro City Council passed a $39 million budget Monday, which included a 15 percent increase in sewer rates but kept property taxes the same.
The $39 million budget is a 7 percent increase over last year's budget, which was $36.3 million.
Sewer rates increased as part of the city's 10-year plan to pay off debt for the sewer expansion project, wetlands construction, and the building of a compost plant.
City Councilman Charles Williams asked if the sewer increase had anything to do with the almost $1 million deficit in the utility fund. City Manager Richard Slozak said that it did not.
He also said that Walnut Creek was scheduled to pay for hooking onto the city's sewer system by September. The village is not delinquent on any payments to the city, but asked for an extension on a $339,000 payment that was originally due at the end of June.
The council agreed to the extension after Slozak told them that the 60-day delay could still be classified as a receivable in the 2003-2004 fiscal year. The proposed sale of sewer bonds to finance a recent annexation might have been in jeopardy if the city showed too much debt in its utility fund.
Slozak told the city that officials from Fremont would be bringing a check to the city on Thursday that should pay a good portion of that town's $400,000 sewer bill.
During the budget reviews, the council had asked for several changes including postponement of a $90,000 design study for downtown Goldsboro. Instead, the council wants to buy vacant property and build a downtown parking lot.
The council also requested that the appropriation for the Wayne County Museum be increased by $2,500 to $5,000.