Board Passes Budget With No Property Tax Increase

By Chris Cowperthwaite, NBC17

After a whirlwind week of number crunching, Morrisville's Board of Commissioners passed their Fiscal Year 2009 budget Thursday.

This just a couple days after the board disapproved the original proposal, which would have meant a 19 percent tax hike.

The final budget came in at 36.65 cents per $100 of property value, which is actually under the "revenue neutral" line.

The original proposal prompted a late, but effective, outcry from more than 200 Morrisville residents who crammed the boardroom during last week's final public hearing.

"Morrisville's in good shape," said Morrisville resident Jackie Holcombe, who led the community effort to get the budget cuts. "It's a really good day for the residents. Their activism is what led to this change -- from us potentially having the biggest tax increase in the Triangle to having a very competitive tax rate."

The new budget managed to keep a lot of town services in tact without forcing any layoffs.

Board members were even able to keep the cost of living adjustment for town employees at 3 percent and protect a $175,000 pool of merit bonus money.

Town staff members worked at a breakneck pace to get the new numbers prepared in time.

"They did an excellent job. Everybody stuck together. Everyone was willing to sacrifice across the board," said Town Manager John Whitson. "We're going to try to provide the best service we can with whatever money you appropriate to us."

The town is holding off on buying a new fire truck that would have cost more than half a million dollars, but they are going ahead with construction for a new headquarters for the Fire Department.