On Monday evening the Surry County Board of Commissioners approved its operating budget for the 2017-18 fiscal year, and it includes tax increases to help fund a paid firefighter initiative in six volunteer fire departments.
Though the budget compromise county commissioners approved by a 3-2 vote includes no increase to the county’s 58.2-cent countywide property tax rate, some Surry County residents will have to endure increases for the fire tax and a few other needs.
Residents in the C.C. Camp, Central Surry, Four Way, Franklin, Skull Camp and South Surry Fire Districts will see their fire district property taxes increase by seven-tenths of a penny per every $100 in property value.
According to County Manager Chris Knopf’s budget message, the increases are earmarked to help the volunteer fire departments fund paid positions in their departments.
South Surry and Franklin Volunteer Fire Departments already have such a program in place. Part-time firefighters man the departments during normal business hours, when chiefs say it’s hardest to get support from volunteers who are working.
The tax rate hike falls short of what departments had asked the county board to consider. Their requests had been for two-cent increases on their rates.
The budget also includes increases to the supplemental taxes which help fund the Mount Airy City Schools and Elkin City Schools. Residents in those two school districts will see an extra penny per every $100 in property value to fund the two municipal school districts.
The Elkin district had asked commissioners to consider a 2.3-cent increase to the supplemental tax rate, and Mount Airy school officials had asked for an additional two cents.
County water users will also see an expected increase as a result of Monday’s budget.
Water fees in the Elkin-Gentry Road and Flat-Rock-Bannertown Fire Districts are set to increase by 7 percent. The rate hike is the second of five annual 7-percent increases in the two districts.
County commissioners began the incremental increases in the 2016-17 fiscal year in hopes of eventually bringing revenues associated with running the two systems in line with expenditures.
Residents who find themselves in the back of a Surry County EMS ambulance will also see increased fees.
According to the explanation delivered by Surry County officials at a recent budget workshop, the EMS fee schedule reflected Medicare-allowable rates. For instance, Medicare pays about $414 for an emergency transport. Surry County was charging a similar rate for those services when compensated by private payers.
Finance Officer Sarah Bowen explained last week that Medicare tends to pay far less than private insurance companies allow for the same procedure or service. Therefore it is typical to charge significantly more than Medicare’s compensation. She recommended 30 percent more as a minimum rate and 50 percent as a suggested rate.
The commissioners agreed with the suggestion; fees will now equal 150 percent of Medicare-allowable rates.
Andy is a staff writer and may be reached at 415-4698.
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