Board discusses possible tax hike and budget cuts
by Larry S. Chowning
At a board of supervisors budget work session on February 23, county administrator Charles Culley explained Middlesex County’s real estate property tax woes.
“I don’t see how you can survive another year with a 35-cent tax rate,” Culley told the board at that meeting. “You’ve got enough fixed expenses that you will have to raise taxes.
“Maybe, if we restructure our debt to increase cash flow, we won’t have to raise taxes as much as 10 cents,” said Culley.
Later, at the same meeting, supervisors voted to restructure $2 million in debt to generate $1,474,603 in cash flow relief for fiscal years 2011 (FY11) and 2012 (FY12).
Supervisors discussed what could be cut from the current county budget, and first-year supervisor Pete Mansfield was at the forefront of making suggestions.
Mansfield brought up a campaign promise that he would attempt to lower the salaries of the five Middlesex County supervisors, who are paid $8,000 annually. The board chairman receives an additional $600.
Board members are eligible for health insurance paid by the county, which amounts to $6,000 annually for each supervisor. Only two board members, Wayne Jessie and Fred Crittenden, receive their health insurance from the county.
The county does not pay for the health insurance of the supervisors’ spouse or other family members.
Mansfield recommended that all supervisors take a $2,000 pay cut.
Jessie argued that he does not feel board members should take a pay cut because the pay is already low.
Jessie is a self-employed contractor, with two children in college, who has to take off work to attend county board meetings. “Many times it costs me money to be at a board meeting,” he said. “You (Mansfield) are retired and if you feel you can give up $2,000 then I don’t have any problem with that, but I don’t think you should ask the rest of us to do it.
“I love this job and being on this board, but I don’t think the little bit of income we receive from this should be cut,” said Jessie.
Crittenden agreed with Jessie and reiterated that if Mansfield wanted to voluntarily give a portion of his salary back to the county then he should be allowed to do so.
Mansfield also recommended that county administrator Charles Culley give up his $350 a month car allowance and start driving a county vehicle to and from home.
Culley indicated this proposal was all right with him if that’s what supervisors wanted.
Assistant county administrator Marcia Jones reminded the board that Culley sometimes needs a four-wheel drive vehicle for emergency services, and his personal truck is four-wheel drive.
“When there is a county emergency, he (Culley) is out in the middle of the night,” Jones said.
The county does have another four-wheel drive vehicle that Culley could use, it was indicated.
“I would like to suggest we go to a county vehicle for Mr. Culley versus an allowance,” said Mansfield.
Board members agreed to discuss each proposed cut during the budget process.
Throughout the remainder of the February 23 budget workshop, Culley presented projected FY11 costs and revenues.
See related article Supervisors want budget meeting with school board.