Posted on Tuesday May 15, 2018
Matthews Town Manager Hazen Blodgett presented the proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2018-2019 to the Matthews Board of Commissioners during a work session Monday evening.
*This news release has been updated to reflect the amended budget.
Matthews, NC – Matthews Town Manager Hazen Blodgett presented the proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2018-2019 to the Matthews Board of Commissioners during a work session Monday evening. The $22,247,000 budget is a 3.3% increase over last year’s budget, and includes a 1.5-cent property tax increase designated for public safety, specifically Matthews Fire & EMS.
A 1.5-cent property tax increase would increase the tax bill on a $300,000 home (median home value in Matthews) by $45 annually and would raise $525,000 in revenue. The revenue would be used to ensure adequate Fire & EMS coverage by moving to a 24/48 staffing model, and a revamped incentive pay program to ensure four firefighters per shift at all times.
The budget also includes 14 new positions: 10 Firefighters, two Telecommunicators, one Transportation Planner, and one Landscape Technician.
No money has been budgeted from the General Fund Balance (the Town’s savings account) to balance the budget.
A public hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, May 29 at 7:00 p.m. at Matthews Town Hall, 232 Matthews Station Street. The Board of Commissioners could adopt the budget later that night as part of their regular meeting, or at their next regular meeting on Monday, June 11. All budget documents can be viewed on the Town's website.
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