Budget & taxes

Based on decisions made by local government leaders this month, property-tax bills are going up — to pay for county government, city government and schools.

Taxes in Irmo, however, are staying the same.

Here are the highlights of what you’ll see when you get your new tax bill in the fall, for those living in Richland and Lexington counties and Irmo:

RICHLAND COUNTY

The budget is $276.5 million, a 10.2 percent increase over the current year.

That pays for general operations of the county, including the sheriff’s department, along with school debt, trash disposal and fire service. New expenditures include 22.5 new employees, most of them deputies and public safety officers to staff a new sheriff’s substation and EMS/fire station, both in Northeast Richland.

The county’s population is 348,226. That means county services cost $794 per person.

The county budget will cost an extra $13.60 next year for the owner of a $100,000 home.

Median home value in Richland County is $131,900.

Annual bills for 77,000 Richland County customers who receive trash pick-up will increase 21 percent, to $249 per household.

Water rates will go up for 133 customers served by the county’s Hopkins, Pond Drive and White Rock systems, starting Jan. 1, 2009.

And there may be more: Richland County Council has not finalized plans for raising property taxes for $40 million to $50 million in park improvements, but a proposal being finalized by the county recreation commission could result in an increase between $16 and $24.

Nor has the council decided whether to put a question on the ballot raising a penny sales tax for transportation improvements, including roads, bus service, sidewalks, bike lanes and trails.

CITY OF COLUMBIA

The budget is $227.7 million, a 4 percent increase from the current year’s budget.

Nicknamed the “public safety budget” by Mayor Bob Coble, the city money flows to the police and fire departments, including $300,000 for seven more police officers, $270,000 for three fire battalion chiefs, and $1.3 million for salary increases for police officers and firefighters.

The budget also includes a list of building projects, including a day care center at the Drew Wellness Center and sidewalk and road maintenance, at more than $18 million. A second list of improvement projects for the city’s water and sewer system is valued at $54 million. The city will have to borrow money to pay for most those projects.

Left out of this year’s budget is money for a high-tech security camera system for street surveillance. Council members have wanted this for awhile but have not been able to find the money.

The U.S. Census estimates that 115,575 people live in Columbia, which means the city will spend about $1,970 per person in the coming year.

The budget includes a property tax increase — $15.60 on a $100,000 home — and a 5 percent water and sewer rate increase. The higher utility rates mean bills will go up about $1.89 a month for city residents and $2.89 a month for others.

RICHLAND 1

The new budget is $253.9 million, an 8 percent increase.

It covers raises for all employees, provides money for expansion of Montessori instruction at two elementary schools and additional staff to reduce student-teacher ratios in kindergarten classes to 24-to-1. It includes no money for incentive pay tied to student performance; underwrites no new academic programs and freezes 10-13 nonteaching positions to save $400,000.

A tax law change means homeowners no longer pay annual property taxes to underwrite public schools. Instead, residents pay for schools through sales taxes. Commercial, industrial and rental property owners still pay toward local education budgets, however.

On a $100,000 rental or commercial property in Richland 1, the tax rate translates to a $37.80 increase.

Richland 1 is planning no new debt. It is in the final phase of construction and renovation to older schools that was underwritten by a $381 million school construction referendum that voters approved in 2002.

FOREST ACRES

The budget is increasing 4.5 percent, to $5.91 million.

New to this year’s budget are four police cars at $30,000 each, new recycling truck at $150,000, new trash-loader $75,000. Administrator Mark Williams considered additional personnel, including police officers or sanitation workers, but they did not make it into the final budget.

Forest Acres’ population is 10,500 residents, meaning the city will spend roughly $562.86 on each resident.

The city is balancing the budget through reserves, so property owners likely won’t face a tax increase.

One new fee, though: Richland County will charge $13.20 extra in taxes on a $100,000 house for Forest Acres residents for storm water management compliance. The county was already applying that tax to the unincorporated areas.

LEXINGTON COUNTY

The overall budget is $164 million, a 7.4 percent increase over the current year. (Overall budget is the general fund, plus special funds and milleage agencies)

That pays for, among the biggest items, police protection, $32.7 million; ambulance service and 9-1-1/central dispatching, $22.5 million; and waste disposal, $10 million.

Not in the new budget is about $4.2 million that was dropped from the Sheriff’s Department, the county’s fire service and expenses for the eventual closing of the Edmund landfill.

The county’s population is estimated at 243,270. That means county services cost $677.02 per person.

The county budget will cost an extra $19.40 next year for most residents who own a home with a taxable value of $100,000. The tax increase will be a bit different in the Irmo-Chapin area, because it has its own fire service and recreation programs.

Median home value in Lexington County is $132,368.

Some fees also will increase. An ambulance trip will cost $13 more for county residents, $15 more for non-residents and $3 more for anyone who calls for an ambulance but does not use it. Other fees, including for zoning and construction permits, also will rise.

And there may be more: Two school districts, Lexington 1 and Lexington-Richland 5, will put bond measures before voters for new school construction and renovations, which would boost tax bills. The town of Batesburg-Leesville is considering a $2.5 million bond to build a new town hall.

TOWN OF LEXINGTON

The budget is $19.9 million, a 9.5 percent increase over the current year.

That pays for, among the biggest items, water and sewer service across central Lexington County, $11.4 million; and $8.5 million for other town services, nearly half of that for police.

The county’s population is 14,547, according to the most recent figures from the 2006 census. That means the town spends $1,469 per resident.

The county budget will cost residents $145 on a home with a taxable value of $100,000. The figure is not changing from current year.

Median home value in Lexington is$152,800*

There are no fee increases, and no increases for water and sewer.

* 29072 ZIP Code — of which the town composes about half the population — estimate in 2006.

BLYTHEWOOD

The general fund budget is $1,073,000, about 7 percent more than the current year. (Accommodations account for $300,000, which includes $150,000 of a previous balance; plus a Hospitality Fund of $287,000, which includes $250,000 of a previous balance).

That pays for more support of events and marketing in town and support of the Blythewood Chamber of Commerce, among other things. The budget does not include $18,000 for two billboards promoting the town on Interstate 77.

The town’s population is about 1,500.

There are no property taxes in Blythewood.

LEXINGTON 1

The operating budget is $172.2 million, which represents a 6.8 percent increase over the current year.

In addition to salaries and related cost, that pays for for staff at two new elementary schools opening in the 2008-09 school year, $2.9 million; another $2 million for startup costs at the new schools.

What’s not in the budget are seven teaching positions that were cut, and basic educational programs were kept at current levels — both in an effort to meet budget.

And, there’s more: Lexington 1 is putting a $336 million bond referendum before voters in November to pay for new schools, renovations, additions and technology.

If approved, it will cost taxpayers a little less than $50 on property valued at $100,000.

CAYCE

The overall budget is $18.1 million, an 8.5 percent increase over the current year.

It pays for, among bigger ticket items, operation of the city’s water and sewer system, $6.9 million; police and fire departments, $3 million; and the streets and sanitation division, $836,600

The budget does not include 13 proposed new positions; that saved taxpayers $346,000.

The city’s population is estimated at 12,852. That means Cayce will spend $1,392 per person to run city government.

The city budget will cost about $6 more for the owners of home with a taxable value of $100,000.

The fees for water and sewer will rise by $4.43 bimonthly for in-city residents and $9.16 bimonthly for residents outside of city limits.

WEST COLUMBIA

The overall budget is $25 million, a 1.8 percent increase over the current year.

It pays for, among bigger ticket items, police $4.8 million; fire protection, $1.9 million; and the sanitation department, $1.8 million.

The budget does not include a $200,000 front loader for the sanitation department and a $24,000 police cruiser.

The city’s population is estimated at 13,793. That means West Columbia will spend $1,814 per person to run city government.

The city budget will cost about $10 more for the owners of home with a taxable value of $100,000.

The fees for basic water and sewer rates will rise $1.05 for in-city residents and $2 for customers who live outside city limits.

LEXINGTON 2

The operating budget is $63.5 million, a 3.8 percent increase over the current year.

That primarily pays for salaries and benefits, $58.5 million; instructional supplies and support services, such as food and nutrition services, nursing, and supplements for band and coaching, $2.2 million

A recent state law exempts property taxes from paying for school’s operating expenses, and lays the burden with owners of nonoccupied property and businesses.

But, in 2005-06, the district approved an installment purchase plan for roughly $19 million. And in the coming year, about $3 million is being requested, along with another $850,000 for technology maintenance, transportation and safety concerns. All taxpayers will pay for that, though the amount was not known by press time late Tuesday.

IRMO

The town’s budget is $4.3 million, an increase of $200,000. That is a 5 percent rise.

About half of the budget pays for police. The remainder pays for trash pickup, parks and other services. Irmo doesn’t operate utility services.

Irmo’s population is 11,613, which means the town spends $373 per resident.

The median home value is $102,600.

Taxes are not going up. Irmo does not impose property taxes, instead relying on business license fees and sales-tax revenues.

LEXINGTON-RICHLAND 5

The new budget is $146.5 million, a 4.5 percent increase.

Among items in the new budget: Dutch Fork High and Irmo High now will have two full-time nurses, and a new nurse coordinator position was created, for a total of $172,806; one full-time teacher and a teaching assistant will be added for the 4K program at a cost of $86,547; and literary coaches are being funded for $362,037. More than $7 million in new requests were not funded.

A tax law change means homeowners no longer pay annual property taxes to underwrite public schools. Instead, residents pay for schools through sales taxes. Commercial, industrial and rental property owners still pay toward local education budgets, however.

Lexington-Richland 5 is seeking voter approval for a $243.7 million bond referendum to pay for three new schools and renovations and additions to seven other facilities. That would translate to a $14 tax increase, on average, on a home valued at $100,000

— Staff writers Dawn Hinshaw, Adam Beam, Tim Flach, Clif LeBlanc, Bill Robinson and Joy Woodson