MORGANTOWN — For the fifth consecutive budget cycle, the Monongalia County Commission intends to lower taxes.
That was among the major talking points Friday morning as the commission met in special session to approve a $41,795,661 spending plan for the upcoming 2022-23 fiscal year.
Of that number, $18,912,192 will come by way of property tax receipts generated off a base levy rate of 11.00 cents on every $100 of assessed property value. That’s down from the current rate of 11.25. It was 11.50 in 2020-21.
Monongalia County currently has the second-lowest base rate in the state, with Marshall County coming in at 10.99.
The proposed rate means Class II, or owner-occupied property, will be taxed at 22 cents per $100 of assessed value. That rate doubles to 44 cents for rental properties in a municipality (Class III) or the county (Class IV).
General government, including the county’s elected offices and employees, insurance, facilities, data processing and bonds on the justice center, will make up a projected 52.98% of expenditures, totaling $22,142.364. That number is down about six percent from the current budget.
Commissioner Sean Sikora, who spearheads the budgeting process with County Administrator Rennetta McClure, said that decrease is despite allocations for a 3% pay increase for county employees as well as coverage for projected increases to health insurance costs. It also includes a 16% bump in funding for the county clerk’s office and funding for a human resources audit intended to be the initial step toward the creation of a county HR department.
“I am excited. We have talked about for years an HR department,” Commissioner Tom Bloom said. “We have come to the conclusion that we need to move forward on that and we have put funds in there to start that process.”
Public safety comprises about 33% of the county’s projected spending plan, with $13,821,585 covering law enforcement, jail transports, court security, dog wardens and the county’s central garage.
That number is up just under 7% over the current budget, with a portion of that increase funding a new pay structure for the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Department.
“Let’s face it, being law enforcement in today’s environment isn’t easy. It’s a tough job,” Sikora said, noting the sheriff’s department currently has seven vacancies. “We worked with the sheriff to finally install a scaled system to keep up with the recent raises made to state troopers and to help with retention and job security for our law enforcement officials.”
The county bumped up its capital improvement budget by more than 25% for the coming fiscal year, earmarking $2.5 million for future projects including a new facility for MECCA and further build-out of the Community Food Innovation Center in the Monongalia County Center.
Expenditures also include $1,795,025 for culture and recreation (county parks, arts/humanities, CVB); $1,037,887 for health and sanitation (health department/programs, litter control) and $498,800 for social services (human resources, seniors, homeless shelter).
Sikora said the commission approved 74% of the funding requests made by nonprofits, totaling $1,027,500, up about $180,000 from the current budget.
The proposed spending plan also anticipates some $13.5 million in carryover and a $3.7 million contingency fund, which would put the county at about 89% funded. It can carry up to 10% of the overall budget in contingencies.
“I believe that by the time we hit mid-summer and have our final carryover numbers that we will be once again fully funded,” Sikora said. “I don’t think there’s any county in the state that has that level of funding in their contingency account.”
Commissioner Jeff Arnett thanked Sikora and McClure for their efforts in pulling the budget together.
“We’re raising our salaries and not passing along any increases for benefits to our employees … And we’re lowering the taxes,” Arnett said. “I’m not sure how many years in a row it is now that our levy rate has gone down, but for a progressive area seeing a lot of growth, to me that’s a pretty good indication that we’re being good stewards with the county’s money and giving it back to the taxpayers, literally.”
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