SMITHFIELD – The first look at how the Town of Smithfield’s budget for the upcoming fiscal year is shaping up comes with Town Manager Mike Scott’s “draft” spending plan that has been presented to the Town Council and is now posted on the town’s website.
The big takeaways:
• A 6% increase in the town’s residential electric rate, effective July 1 (when fiscal year 2024-25 begins for North Carolina’s local and state governments).
• A 6% increase in sewage-disposal fees to cover an expected 6% hike in what the County of Johnston charges the town for sewage treatment, effective September 1.
• A 55-cent monthly increase in yard-waste fees to cover a $2-per-load increase in what a dumping site charges the town for accepting that debris.
• No change in the town’s property-tax levy of 57 cents per $100 valuation.
• Three new town employees – two in Public Works “to better improve the town’s appearance” and one to work as a full-time code-enforcement officer in place of two part-time positions in the Planning Department.
Town Manager Scott notes in the draft’s introduction that the proposed 6% hike in power bills “still keeps the town’s residential rates lower than the electric costs for the same residential property served by Duke Energy,” which includes West Smithfield neighborhoods.
Ted Credle, the town’s director of public utilities, told the Town Council last week that the 6% recommendation came about because of an unexpected increase in Duke Energy’s charges for electricity purchased by local systems like Smithfield’s as a result of recent surges in the price of natural gas, which now powers a number of Duke generating plants that used to be fueled by coal.
Prior to that development, Mr. Credle noted, the town had been planning on a 2% electric-rate increase for its customers to cover capital expenditures, as recommended by a consultant’s recent rate study.
The town manager’s “draft” budget is a starting point for the council’s deliberations in the weeks just ahead. Once that work is done, he will craft his “recommended” budget for 2024-25 that could undergo additional tweaks by the council before final adoption in June.
– Reprinted with permission from The Smithfield Weekly Sun
I take it there will be pay raises for the entire town to include the town manager. What if they would just cut all those pet project there are looking to start, such as the new greenway? Perhaps then they wouldn’t have to increase rates. Why do they need to hire more employees to clean up the town when for years they had enough to do the job? So many questions and not enough answers.
My power comes straight from Duke and my power is cheaper than my buddies power who lives in Smithfield and has no kids just hisself. It’s me my wife and 2 kids and mine is cheaper So as 6% increase does not keep it under
1. Look around at all the growth and expect it to be maintained by the same FEW people? 2. Comparing an electricity ONLY bill to one with more services included makes no sense.
As a 50’s single female, having retired from one job and working at another, it feels like the hits just keep coming… the cost of basics for living at an all time high, i.e., food, gas, insurance, etc, already have the max withheld for taxes yet still have to pay a few thousand on returns, and now we can add this to the list. I KNOW I am NOT the only one and some most likely have an even harder time. It is time for a change on so many levels!!!
#littlethingsarebigthings
#comequicklyLordJesus
@smfd: If you want change, stop re-electing the same people! You re-elected the mayor and all 3 board incumbents last year! Instead of waiting for Jesus to magically fix things, try taking some responsibility for your actions. If you don’t like the way things are, stop voting for the same peiple over and over! #VoteOutIncumbents
As if a Smithfield Town Council can control the cost of living. Your attempt to politicize the issue is not helpful.
@Phil: I didn’t blame the town for the cost of living. The town board (who the people re-elected last year) is directly responsible for setting the cost of electricity. Maybe next time, vote for something new if you want something to change. Or just complain– you’re choice. #VoteOutIncumbents
Phil
Perhaps you should ask Town Council why instead of reimbursing citizens for overpayments for their utility bills they just put it back for future projects. Or perhaps you should ask the town why not to long ago they raised the fee to fix the storm drains but yet they increase this budget for the same thing. How about why the town’s electric rate is higher then those who live in the county. The the truth didn’t make this political our own town Council did. They only look out for their own selves to stay in power rather then the citizen’s of the town.
our country is in a full blown crisis and everyone increases prices on every daily need all Americans need. Soon crap will hit the fan and when it does we all know in our cities and towns where to lay blame. suck all of us dry until nothing is let. Where is the leadership to stay the course, no increases, no new projects. Sit tight with what we have until after the election this fall. by then we all should know what direction this country will be headed.