Cumberlan Co logo The Cumberland County Board of Commissioners on Monday, June 6 will hold a special meeting to hear comments from the public regarding the recommended fiscal 2023 budget.

The proposed budget calls for nearly $553 million in total expenditures across all funds — which includes school and capital investment funds — and has a $362 million general fund.

The tax rate would remain the same at 79.9 cents per $100 property valuation.

Cumberland County estimates it will receive nearly $171 million from property taxes this fiscal year, which makes up roughly 55% of the general fund. A penny on the tax rate earns $2.4 million.

The June 6 meeting seeks public comment regarding the proposed budget. The meeting starts at 7 p.m. in the Judge E. Maurice Braswell Cumberland County Courthouse. The meeting takes place in room 118 on the main floor of the courthouse.

Historically, representatives from outside agencies seeking county funding speak at the public hearings. This year, 17 outside agencies sought public funding. The recommended budget allocates $486,042 to outside agencies, the same amount as in the fiscal 2022 budget and $142,827 less than requested.

Initially, of the 17 agencies requesting money, the budget only allocated funds for 15 agencies. The North Carolina Symphony Society and Cumberland Health Net Inc. were not recommended for funding. However, during last Wednesday’s budget work session, board Chairman Glenn Adams requested that $30,000 of the recommended $68,000 be taken from the Arts Council to fund Cumberland Health Net, which had requested $41,000. He also asked that another $3,000 be taken from the Arts Council for the Vision Resource Center. The Vision Resource Center had asked for $10,000 but the budget allocated $7,000, the same as last year. The additional $3,000 makes the Vision Resource Center the only outside agency receiving what it had requested.

Adams said he believes because of the pandemic during the past two years, the Arts Council did not spend all of its money. Also, the Arts Council receives a portion of the county’s motel and hotel occupancy room tax, which he predicted has increased over last year.

County Manager Amy Cannon did not have those figures available at Wednesday’s (June 1) budget workshop.

The city of Fayetteville’s recommended fiscal 2023 budget allocates $75,000 for the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County to partner for community art programs.