Durham County approves tax increase with $343.5 million budget

The Durham Board of County Commissioners on Monday approved its $343.5 million budget for the 2010-11 fiscal year, which includes a 3.78 cent property tax rate increase.

Raising the property tax rate to 74.59 cents per $100 valuation means that a resident will pay $37.80 more per year in property taxes on a $100,000 home. Therefore, a $100,000 home will yield a $745.90 property tax bill.

The extra tax revenue will save 185 teaching positions, 12 of which were reduced to half-time, with Durham Public Schools.

The budget also increases fees for the sheriff’s office, city-county planning, fire marshal, public health, engineering and general services.

The budget eliminates 41 full-time positions and 14 other grant-supported positions. It also suspends merit raises for the year.

Meanwhile, the Fayetteville City Council on Monday approved a $173.9 million budget for the upcoming year. The spending plan doesn't include a property tax increase, but some fees for planning and zoning applications go up.

The Fayetteville budget provides a small pay raise for police officers and includes money for a new city planner, but it cuts grant funding to local nonprofits by 25 percent and reduces spending on grass trimming and street cleaning along state roads.