Proposed County Budget Includes Tax Increase To Cover Facility Projects

It is budget season and Wayne County is looking at a potential tax increase.

County Manager Craig Honeycutt presented his proposed budget to the Wayne County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday.

The new budget asks for a property tax rate increase of $.054 from $.6635 per $100 evaluation to $.7175 if capital projects are included.

The increase is due solely to $58 million of new debt for the following projects:

$5 million for Fremont Elementary
$25 million for the new Health/DSS Human Services Building
$25 million for the new Jail
$3 million to support the completion of the Wayne Community College Advance Manufacturing Center

Honeycutt says the new budget includes a $5.7 million increase in revenue following conservative planning due to the COVID-19 pandemic last year.

A public hearing for Wayne County’s 2021-2022 budget has been scheduled for 9:30 AM on June 1^st.

The new financial plan needs to be approved by July 1^st.

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