Town staff are holding a virtual Pop-Up Town Hall on Tuesday, June 2 at 2 p.m. The topic is the Town of Garner’s FY 2020-21 Recommended Annual Operating Budget. We’ll be live streaming the event on our Facebook page. Following a brief presentation offering an overview of the proposed budget, staff will be taking and answering questions.
You can email questions in advance to Budget and Special Projects Manager Mike Franks at mfranks@garnernc.gov. We’ll also take questions submitted as Facebook comments during the virtual town hall.
Below are a few high-level bullet points on the proposed budget. Another way to gain a quick overview is to read the Manager’s Budget Message (p. 48 of the budget document; a quick link is in the table of contents).
The recommended tax rate of 48.21 is a decrease of 7.29 cents from last year and is only 2.5 cents above the revenue neutral rate of 46.21. The proposed tax rate would position the Town to address the growth experienced in recent years and what is anticipated in the future, taking into consideration how the Town’s tax base will grow as well.
The recommended tax rate continues to make Garner one of the most affordable places to live in Wake County. Garner residents are currently projected to have the second lowest effective tax rate of all localities in Wake County.
For the average Garner resident with a $230,559 home, the proposed tax rate would cost an additional $4.80 per month.
Based primarily on the impact of COVID-19, the Town initially projected a $3 million shortfall. Multiple measures were used to address this including making significant reductions to department’s budgets, reducing employee pay, reducing street resurfacing funding and using one-time funds.
The Town postponed nearly $2.5 million in new funding requests. The only new request that was funded was a School Resource Officer at South Garner High School that is required to protect the safety of students at the school.