Franklin County's 2020 budget comes with library tax increase

Some property owners will pay a few bucks more in 2020 to support Franklin County's libraries. 

Franklin County Commissioners have approved next year's budget. It maintains the current tax rate on the general fund, but includes an increase in the library tax for the first time in six years. 

Citing increased use of many of its resources and facilities, Franklin County Library System had requested a half mill increase in funding to maintain its buildings, services and staff. County commissioners approved a resolution to increase the tax rate by one-quarter of a mill, which works out to about $5 annually for the average homeowner. 

“Our hands are tied,” said Denice Bigham, senior director of library services and technology, had told the commissioners when requesting the increase earlier this month. “State standards determine our requirements.”

She said, for example, the library system is required to put 12% of its budget toward building out its collection. At the same time, state funding has decreased by 20% - almost 50% when adjusted for inflation - since 2002, Commissioner Bob Ziobrowski said at the time.

The higher library tax will support one less library next year. The Fort Loudon Library is set to close Dec. 28 after the library system determined it has too few patrons to remain in service. 

Except for the library tax, the budget approved this past week is the same as what was proposed last month. The overall tax rate will be 29.1 mills (only some communities pay the .25-mill library tax). Of that, 25 mills will go toward the general operating fund and the other 4.1 mills will cover debt service. 

The $157,917,700 budget is $5.7 million less than the preliminary budget that was approved in October and $9 million less than the revised 2019 budget. 

About $53.3 million is budgeted in the general fund, which primarily includes money for all court services and government operations. The largest portion of the fund, 43.2%, is dedicated to public safety, which includes the 911 center, emergency management, and certain jail and probation operations. 

Of every tax dollar, 79 cents go to crime, courts and corrections. Of the rest, 7 cents go to community/taxpayer services; 6 cents go to financial and administrative services; 4 cents to go emergency services; 3 cents go to human services and 1 cent covers other services. 

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The county built the 2020 budget with the following priorities in mind:

• Increasing public safety and security.
• Streamlining government and delivery of services.
• Maintaining services that support county citizens through funding existing and new programs for human services and veterans.
• Supporting quality of life programs such as farmland preservation and tourism and quality of life enhancement grants.
• Attracting and retaining a skilled, dedicated workforce.

Outside the general fund, capital projects take up the largest chunk of funding in the budget, at about $38.1 million. Construction work is underway on North Main Street at what will become the judicial center and on North Second Street at what will be the administration building. Renovations are also ongoing at the county's archives building at the corner of Grant and Second streets. 

Just over $32 million is budgeted for human services, which includes programs ranging from veterans affairs and aging to mental health and drug/alcohol prevention. 

Other budgeted expenditures include: $6.1 million for debt service, $2.7 million for public works, $1.8 million for community and economic development, $800,000 for culture and recreation, and $5.5 million to support other county operations. In addition, $1.9 million is budgeted for miscellaneous expenditures.