Milton to hold budget hearing Aug. 20
Milton Town Council is close to a vote on the town's $2 million budget for the 2019 fiscal year, with approval possible Monday, Aug. 20.
On that date, council will hold a public hearing starting at 6:30 p.m., at Milton library. Mayor Ted Kanakos said the budget is pretty standard, with no tax increases for the fourth year in a row. "We're living within our budget," he said.
Property taxes remain the town's biggest revenue generator, at more than $1 million, followed by transfer taxes, $320,000. Town Manager Kristy Rogers has said that the transfer tax revenue budgeted is higher than in prior years because the town intends to use 100 percent of that revenue on street and infrastructure projects, most notably the second phase of the Rails to Trails project, which would extend the trail from Federal Street to Lavinia Street. The state has agreed to pay 80 percent of the costs while the town is responsible for 20 percent, or $240,000.
Sen. Ernie Lopez, R-Lewes, has pledged $100,000 in community transportation funds for the project, leaving the town to fund the remaining $140,000.
Among major capital expenditures is funding for a ninth police officer, a new K-9 and a new vehicle for the police department. At nearly $1 million, half of that for salaries, the police department is the town's largest division, accounting for almost 50 percent of the budget.
The streets department, budgeted at $333,000, will get $5,400 for a plow attachment for the the department's F350 pickup truck. Kanakos said last year, the town was hit with a lot of snow, and after annexing in Cannery Village, more streets must be cleared.
Council spent most of its Aug. 6 meeting questioning Rogers on the particulars of the budget and walked away satisfied with what they heard. While this year's budget is set, town officials are contemplating ways to expand the tax base through annexation. No areas have been publicly discussed, but council hired consultants to examine the town's annexation fees, currently $400 to apply and an $8,000 fee per acre.
Planner Debbie Pfeil of Maryland-based engineering and consulting firm KCI said at council's Aug. 6 meeting that the town's annexation fees are among the highest in the area. While annexation fees themselves are not a revenue generator, Pfeil and Rogers said the high cost of annexation in Milton may scare off prospects. Pfeil recommended a pre-application introduction meeting to work out issues before taking the project public with the Planning and Zoning Commission and adopting a $3,900 application fee plus $5,000 held in escrow to cover professional fees.
