By Susan Dickson
Staff Writer
CARRBORO – With little discussion apart from thanks to the town staff, the Carrboro Board of Aldermen voted unanimously last week to approve the town’s 2012-13 budget.
The budget includes no property-tax increase, as initially proposed by Town Manager David Andrews, holding the rate at 58.94 cents per $100 of property valuation, $1,179 annually for a $200,000 home. The $19.44 million general-fund operating budget represents a 5.2 increase over 2011-12.
The budget also includes an across-the-board 3 percent raise for all full-time and part-time town employees, a $255,000 cost to the town. Benefits will remain at 2011-12 levels.
In addition, human services funding is increased 17.7 percent in the budget, including $26,000 for a day-laborer assistance program.
Andrews has said that a 3 percent increase in property-tax revenue and a 7 percent increase in sales-tax revenue through the third quarter of 2011-12 over the previous fiscal year account for some of the town’s ability to increase the budget without increasing taxes. In addition, collections from fees and permits are up 124 percent over last year.
The board commended Andrews and other town employees for their work on the budget.