County
Proposed County Budget Includes Tax Credit
By

KERIN MAGILL

To the tune of "Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay! My, oh, my what a wonderful day," County Administrator Robert Stickels on Tuesday, May 25 unveiled a proposed county budget that includes a 25 percent property tax credit.

The 2005 budget calls for total expenditures of $108,757,093, an increase of $11 million over the current year’s budget.

Thanks largely to the booming real estate market, the county in 2003 posted a $12 million budget surplus -- double the county’s surplus in 2002. This was the 13th year in a row the county has posted a surplus.

The tax credit would cost the county $2.5 million. According to Stickels, if the council approves the tax credit, this is the first time since 1989 county property taxes will decrease. Stickels said the time is right for the tax credit because the county’s rainy day fund stands at nearly $10 million -- it’s highest ever -- and the county has satisfied all its general fund debt that is financed by property taxes. He also said this is the first time in four years the county doesn’t need to worry about reduction in state aid to the county through such avenues as the property transfer tax.

The county is also considering capping at 125 feet the front-foot assessment charged in county sewer districts. This means that no matter how large the front footage, a property owner wouldn only be charged for up to 125 feet of it. As with the tax credit, however, the front-footage cap would only be in effect for fiscal 2005. It would not apply to vacant lots or commercial properties.

If the County Council approves the budget, county employees will all receive $750 raises, with cost of living increases of 2 percent in July and 1 percent in January 2005.

The largest expenditure in the proposed budget is $8.6 million for paramedic services -- an 18 percent increase over the current fiscal year. The county’s portion of spending on the county’s seven paramedic units comes is funded solely by realty transfer tax funds. The increase will allow the county to hire four more paramedics and continue to support three students currently enrolled in paramedic training at Delaware Technical and Community College. It will also help increase response times in the western part of the county, where a new unit will be added . The addition will increase the number of paramedics on duty in western Sussex from two to five.

Overall, public safety spending is proposed at $14.9 million -- a 19.7 increase over the current fiscal year.

In addition to the tax credit, the following expenditures are allocated for the $12.5 surplus:

• $3 million for Inland Bays land aquisition;
• $1.5 million for sewer project subsidies;
• $1.25 million for the Sussex Land Trust to preserve open space;
• $1 million to purchase land in Piney Neck for the Dagsboro/Frankford sewer district;
• $1 million for costs association with construction of a new Emergency Operations Center;
• $878 toward the county’s capital improvement fund;
• $500,000 toward a potential Veterans’ Home, if it is to be located in Sussex County;
• $250,000 for expansion of the South Coastal Library in Bethany Beach;
• $200,000 for community improvements;
• $150,000 for expansion of the Milton Library;
• $100,000 for community development funding;
• $100,000 for the Delaware Community Foundation;
• $50,000 toward construction of a new Easter Seals facility on Route 113 in Georgetown;
• $25,000 for First State Community Action, which provides services for low-income residents; and
• $25,000 for construction of a new CHEER center in Cedar Neck, near Ocean View.

The council will hold a public hearing on the budget on June 22.