Mount Olive board approves budget, 5-cent tax increase
By Steve Herring
Published in News on June 2, 2015 1:46 PM
MOUNT OLIVE -- By a 3-1 vote, the Mount Olive Town Board Monday night adopted a $6.26 million budget that includes a 5-cent increase in the town's property tax.
The 5-cent tax increase takes the rate from 59 to 64 cents per $100 of property value.
The increase is basically to cover lost revenues as well as an increase in expenses -- particularly ensuring the police department is well-equipped, town officials said.
But it also includes $54,000 in salary increases of 7 percent for police officers and 2.5 percent for other employees.
Commissioner Kenny Talton, who cast the dissenting vote, said he supports the town's employees.
But he said providing pay increases in the midst of a budget shortfall did not make economic sense.
The town is having to absorb a large increase in insurance premiums totaling more than $42,000.
That is on top of a loss of about $50,000 in privilege license revenues that were eliminated by state lawmakers.
Talton said he would like to see the budget re-evaluated and that he thinks there are areas in the budget to offset most of the funding shortfall.
"I, too, would recommend COLA (cost of living) or salary adjustments only if we can operate at the current spending level," Talton said. "To impose a tax increase on the citizens of Mount Olive to help pay for increases in salary is not fiscally responsible."
Mayor Ray McDonald Sr. blamed the town's budgeting woes on a General Assembly that is balancing its budget on the backs of local government.
He also took Talton to task, saying that all of the board members had agreed with the proposed budget.
McDonald added that it appeared the reversal was caving into political pressure.
He and other board members said the increase is needed to make the police salaries more competitive and to ensure that the department has the equipment it needs to do its job
Assistant Police Chief Linda Tyson told the board she enjoys her job, but that she had given up a lot of benefits when she left the Duplin County Sheriff's Office to take the Mount Olive job.
The raises are much-needed, she said.
Officers have a dangerous job, she said. They love their jobs and want to make the streets safe for the town's residents. But officers shouldn't be expected to work seven days a week, 24 hours a day, she said.
"So if you all are worried about money, there have always been money problems for years in every county," she said. "But now it is 2015. You are going to, you have no other choice. Life is changing. The world is changing.
"You all are in here talking about money, but (officers) are valued twice of what you are paying them."
The town will continue to have a "revolving door" of police officers coming only to leave to take better-paying jobs, she said.
"They don't have training. They don't because you are worried about the money. They don't have proper cars because you don't want to get off the money. They don't have good uniforms. We got new patches, pretty patches. But you know what? What good is a beautiful patch? They don't even look professional. The public looks at such things."
There is a lot that needs to be changed, Mrs. Tyson said.
"If you want us to be professional, give us the stuff that we need to do the job and we will get the job done," she said.
No one from the public spoke during the brief public hearing on the budget.
The new budget includes $3.5 million in the general fund, up from $3.13 million, and $2.75 million in the water/sewer fund, up from $2.57 million.
By far, the largest increase is in the police department, whose budget would be increased by $175,100 growing from $996,143 to $1,171,243.
The bulk of that is the result of the pay hike and equipment purchases.
Also, the town is paying a total of $30,000 in retirement supplements to two retired officers. Officers who retire after 30 years receive a supplement of almost $15,000 until they turn 62.
No fund balance was used to balance the budget.
The budget also includes $50,000 match for a major renovation project at the Carver Cultural Center and an $112,000 match for a new force main on Northeast Church Road.