• By Kyle Wolf
• Posted Wednesday, July 6, 2016

The Board of Commissioners Approved the Fiscal Year 2016-2017 Annual Budget on May 26, 2016.

The FY 2017 Adopted Budget includes a tax rate of 73.10 cents, which is the same tax rate as the previous year. Of the 73.10 cent tax rate, 4.51 cents is dedicated to two Education Debt leveling Plans. The tax rate also sets aside .6 cents for the 2015 Library Debt leveling Plan to pay current and future debt service requirements for bonds approved by voters in a 2010 referendum for Library construction purposes.

The Board of Commissioners approved the recommended operating budget and also included funding for other initiatives including:

• Incentive pay for Special Team work for the Sheriff's Office
• Additional positions with Public Health for Communicable Disease and School Nursing
• Expansion of the Mobile Integrated Healthcare program through behavioral health funding
• Additional funding for Senior Services Meals on Wheels Program and Shepherds Center

Community grants were awarded to:

• Arts Council ($100,000)
• National Black Theatre Festival ($65,000)
• Old Salem ($50,000)
• Northwest Child Development Center ($26,520)
• Children's Law Center ($25,000)

Several Fire Tax District rates were adjusted as well in the FY 2017 Adopted Budget, including:

• Belews Creek
• City View & Talley's Crossing Fire Tax Districts
• King of Forsyth County
• Mineral Springs Fire Tax District, Mineral Springs Service District, and Forest Hills Fire Tax District
• Union Cross
• Walkertown

Digital copies of the FY 2017 Adopted Budget will be available at any of the Forsyth County Public Library Branches by July 15th. A hard copy of the Adopted Budget will also be located in the Budget and Management Office on the 5th floor of the Forsyth County Government Center.

Thank you for your interest in Forsyth County, North Carolina.