Halifax County commissioners will vote on the budget for the upcoming fiscal year at its June 15 meeting, Chair Vernon Bryant said after a public hearing on the matter drew one speaker this morning. 

That meeting is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. in the board of commissioners meeting room at the Historic Courthouse on King Street in Halifax.

Scotland Neck resident James Mills said he has observed that in studying the budget online the county does not itemize each municipality, each fire department, each school, and how much money is being received from sales taxes. “I wish you would do that — itemize each one in your budget.”

The proposed $64,806,460 budget maintains a tax rate of 70 cents per $100 of assessed value and carries a fund balance of $56,116,285. The unassigned fund balance is $23,810,355, which can be used for additional non-recurring needs or to respond to emergencies and disasters.

This proposal allocates $4,690,424 from the fund balance for the next fiscal year's approved capital expenditures for county departments. An additional $685,000 of the fund balance will cover the costs of one-time bonuses to full-time and eligible part-time employees.