06/24/2019 9:01 PM
Durham, NC – The Durham Board of County Commissioners have adopted the Fiscal Year 2019-2020 budget totaling $658,220,994. The budget includes a tax rate increase of 2.3 cents. The increase shifts Durham County’s tax rate from 68.92 cents to 71.22 cents per $100 valuation.
Following the unanimous approval of the FY ’19-’20 Budget, Chair Wendy Jacobs shared her thoughts about the budget process and prioritization to invest in the needs of the community. “I am very proud of the Durham County FY 19-20 Budget,” she said. “This budget is a reflection of the priorities we have heard from our community and our staff and is aligned with Durham County’s strategic plan goals and our Board identified priorities.” To read Jacobs’ full statement, click here.
The FY 2019-20 budget, approximately $15 million more than the previous budget, reflects a slight increase from County Manager Wendell M. Davis’ recommended budget of $657.5 million. The general fund, providing the necessary financial resources for most Durham County’s activities and services, is $456,787,859. The general fund will support a total of 2,092 full time equivalent (FTE) positions, including 27.42 new FTEs. A racial equity specialist and an adverse childhood experiences coordinator are among newly financed positions aligning with the Commissioners’ areas of emphasis approaching the pending fiscal year. Additionally, funding will support 11 FTEs for the Durham County Library to fill positions necessary to operate the newly renovated Main Library scheduled to reopen in 2020.
The approved budget provides $145,970,717 in funding for Durham Public Schools, increasing by $7.25 million to support the per pupil amount of $3,647. An additional $5.44 million is budgeted under the County’s Department of Public Health and the Office of the Sheriff to fund school nurses and 27 School Resource Officers. For the third consecutive year, Commissioners have approved increased funding to support Universal Pre-Kindergarten education. This year’s budget includes an additional $1.6 million for Pre-K services bringing total funding to date to $5.25 million. The FY 2019-2020 budget provides $7,900,158 for Durham Technical Community College, an increase of $341,955 allotted since last year’s budget cycle.
Looking toward the upcoming fiscal year, Commissioners approved $3 million to support phase II of the County’s Classification and Compensation project. The initial phase implemented $1.7 million last year for law enforcement roles described as “hard-to-fill” and important public safety positions.
Other highlights from the FY ’19-’20 approved budget include:
- A merger of Durham County ACCESSwith the City of Durham.
- An increase of $848,478 for the Department of Social Services to provide support of increased numbers and costs to care for children in Durham County’s Foster Care System.
- An additional $65,000 has been identified to support the Durham Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Resilience Taskforce (DART) Innovation and Implementation Initiatives.
To review the approved budget details, visit the County’s Budget and Management Services webpage at dconc.gov/budget. Budget information on adopted budgets dating back 10 years prior are available to view and download on the page. For additional questions or information about the FY 2019-2020 Adopted Budget, email publicinformationoffice@dconc.gov.
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