Wrightsville Beach to hold public hearing on proposed budget

WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, N.C. (WECT) - The Town of Wrightsville Beach will hold a public hearing on the proposed Fiscal Year 2023/2024 budget at the Board of Alderman meeting on June 22.

This year’s proposed budget doesn’t include any increases to the property tax ($.0923 per $100 value), and water and sewer rates and maintenance fees would remain the same as well. The town is still taking part in a study to consider merging its utilities with the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority.

The total budget is $20.27 million, split between $4.29 million in the Water/Sewer Fund and $15.98 million in the General Fund. The town’s total tax valuation has increased from $3.8 billion in FY22/23 to $3.85 billion in FY23/24.

Revenue sources for the General Fund include:

$5.96 million from parking fees
$3.44 million from property tax
$1.41 million from sales tax
$1 million from refuse collection
$758,000 from ABC revenues,
$650,000 from room occupancy tax,
$375,000 from the utility and cable franchise tax
$311,300 from the
$300,000 from building permit fees
$250,000 from recreation program fees
$230,000 from the Water and Sewer fund
$35,000 from local civil violations

Expenditures in the budget include:

$3.58 million for the police department
$2.19 million for the fire department
$1.88 million for public works environmental services
$1.43 million for parking management
$1.07 million for the governing body
$1.02 million for public works building maintenance
$761,355 for the general administration department
$654,545 for planning and parks department/planning and inspections
$626,500 for fire department ocean rescue lifeguards
$611,379 for the public works streets department
$479,546 for planning and parks department/recreation programs
$465,741 for the information technology department
$452,143 for public works/parks maintenance
$367,728 for public works administration
$366,030 for public works department fleet maintenance
$13,750 for fire department emergency preparedness

You can read the proposed budget in full on the town’s website or below:

Proposed Fiscal Year 2023/2... by Jamie Boulet

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