Greenville Mayor Says He Will Recommend No Tax Increase, Level Funding And No New Equipment Spending
GREENVILLE — Mayor Errick Simmons said at a city budget overview session on Wednesday, August 19, that he will recommend the city council hold ad valorem taxes flat, fund city departments at last year's levels, and approve no capital outlay for the coming fiscal year.
Addressing residents and department heads at the session, Simmons said of the tax levy: “I'm going to ask this council for no tax levy and no increases on ad valorem taxes this year.” He said the final decision on the levy rests with the council, not the mayor's office.
On departmental spending, Simmons said his recommendation to the council would be level funding. “Level funding is to level fund you to last year's numbers with no increases,” he said.
On equipment, Simmons said the city had already made roughly $2.3 million in equipment purchases in the prior fiscal year and did not need to make more. “I don't think we need to be going down trying to buy more equipment when we did a really good job this year,” he said.
Simmons said the council will hear from department heads before the budget is finalized. Department capital-outlay requests are scheduled for review at an August 24 budget session.
The budget calendar set out at the meeting puts adoption of the budget on September 16 and publication of the adopted budget on September 30.
No vote was taken at the budget overview session, and the mayor's recommendations carry no effect until the council acts on them.