Cumberland County approves $285 million budget

The budget includes a property tax rate of 74 cents per $100 valuation, a reduction of 2.6 cents from the current rate of 76.6 cents.

The county has earmarked six-tenths of a penny of the county-wide tax rate, which is expected to total $1.2 million, for a jail expansion capital project.

The commissioners also approved transferring $1.8 million from the designated health department renovation reserve to the jail expansion reserve.

The budget also includes a 2 percent cost-of-living pay increase for county employees, an increase to the special fire service district tax and funding for the county’s new Child Support Department.