Durham approves tax increase with $353.3 million budget

At the beginning of this year’s budget process, the county faced a $10.8 million deficit. City Manager Thomas Bonfield said raising the property tax rate to 1.19 cents will bring the total tax rate to 55.19 cents per $100 of the assessed value. Because the average home value in Durham is $161,700, an increase of 1.19 cents raises the average annual tax bill by $19.24.

Bonfield said the property tax increase will continue voter-approved bond projects and supplement Durham Area Transit, which city leaders voted Monday to allow Triangle Transit to manage.

The budget also lays off 16 workers and eliminates 17 vacant positions, suspends merit raises for the year and increases fees for water and sewer, solid waste disposal and parking.

The budget is a 2.2 percent increase over the $345.6 million for the 2009-2010 fiscal year. It also includes $182,516 to help fund the Warrant Control Office and $138,000 to help fund the salaries of two employees in the Special Domestic Violence Court.