ROBESON COUNTY, NC (WBTW) -The Robeson County Board of Commissioners met Monday to discuss its budget for next year.
“The school board’s asking for an additional $17 million from the county,” said County Manager, Ricky Harris.
The Board of Commissioners did not make any final decisions on its budget at its Monday evening meeting.
The Robeson County School board voted at its last meeting to request roughly $30 million from the Board of Commissioners.
“Our regular allocation to the school board is $12.4 million,” Harris told News13. “They’re [the school district is] asking for an additional $17 million, so that would be around $30 million.”
Harris said if the school board is granted the additional money, it could mean an increased tax rate.
“Theoretically it would be 500,000 a penny, and it would take 34 cents to increase $17 million dollars to the county budget,” the County Manager said.
He said the increased rate would give Robeson County the highest tax rate in the state of North Carolina.
“It’s important for the tax rate to stay low, and it’s important for us to have good schools,” he said.
The County Manager said Robeson County currently has the twenty-fifth highest tax rate in the state.
Harris said the Board of Commissioners will look closely at the proposed budget at its next meeting.
“The board has to make a decision on the school board, on the budget, before July 1,” said Harris.
The Robeson County Board of Commissioners will meet again on June 7.
