Darlington County Council budget gets final approval

By: Jim Faile | SCNOW
Published: June 03, 2008

Darlington County Council gave final approval Monday to a $32.5 million county budget for fiscal 2009.

Council gave unanimous third-reading approval to eight ordinances making up the budget package.

But council also rejected a move by council member Wesley Blackwell of Hartsville to reduce funding for the county recreation program and redistribute responsibilities for administering the program to the cities of Hartsville and Darlington.

Blackwell offered an amendment to the $24.4 million general fund budget to allocate funding for recreation countywide on a $5 per capita basis for total funding of more than $369,000, versus $515,000 in the budget for recreation.

Council voted 4-1 against Blackwell’s proposed amendment.

Voting against the amendment were Flowers, Douglas, Johnson and councilwoman Mozella “Pennie” Nicholson of Hartsville.

Blackwell cast the only vote for the amendment. Chairman Billy Baldwin of Darlington and members Anne Warr of Lamar and Alex “Buz” Shaw of Hartsville did not vote.

The general fund budget comes with a property tax increase of $320,380, or 1.66 mills, which is within the cap imposed by the state under the 2.9 percent Consumer Price Index increase approved by the State Budget and Control Board.

That increase will add about $10.49 to the annual property tax bill on an owner-occupied home with an assessed value of $158,000.

On a $30,000 automobile, the increase will be $2.99 a year.

Revenues in the general fund budget from local property taxes grew by $311,590 as a result of growth in the county’s tax base.

The millage rate increase and the additional growth together will produce a total revenue increase of $806,850 in the general fund budget.

Of the total $32.5 million budget package, 53.9 percent — more than $17.5 million — is allocated for salaries and wages.
Another $9,453,920, or about 29.06 percent will go to fund operations.

Grants account for $2,312,980 or about 7.11 percent of the total revenue.

And $3,231,640, or 9.93 percent, will go toward capital expenses.