Sussex County proposes $143 million budget

Sussex County has proposed a $143 million budget for fiscal year 2018.

At a Sussex County Council meeting on May 16, the budget was laid out to the commissioners. The budget aims to fund services and projects throughout the county, including public safety, libraries, building inspection, wastewater treatment and community improvements.

However, the proposed budget did not come easily, said Sussex County Administrator Todd Lawson in a release.

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"This has been one of the more difficult budgets to write because of the uncertanty, particuarly as it relates to the State budget," Lawson said in the release. "However, I believe what we are recommending here is a good-faith effort to balance the expectations of the County and the services it provides while being sensitive to our shared financial reality."

The county has by June 30 to approve the budget.

There will be no change in current property tax rates, sewer and water service charges or building permit fees, however, there are increases proposed for one-time sewer connections, plan review  and various Marriage Bureau fees.

Included in the budget is:

• Increased funding for the county's contract with Delaware for 22 additional state police troopers to be assigned from Sussex County by $700,000 to $2.9 million. 
• A $1 million allocation of startup funds to start a pilot project with Delaware to install fiber optic cabling to expand high-speed Internet to rural areas of the county.
• Over $8 million in capital funding to start phased, major upgrade at the county's South Coastal, Inland Bays and Wolfe Neck regional wastewater facilities to up to double the treatment capacity.
• Approximately $3.4 million to develop the recently acquired property next to the Sussex County Industrial Park near Georgetown into a business park.

Sussex County Council President Michael Vincent was pleased with the proposed budget.

"This budget makes some serious investments for Sussex County's future, and I think the public appreciates once again their government responding to their needs without breaking the bank," he said in a release.

The county council will hold a public hearing on the budget during its 10 a.m. meeting on Tuesday, June 13 at the council chambers at the County Administrative Offices building 2, located at 2 The Circle in Georgetown

The public can make comments in person on that date or email comments to budget@sussexcountyde.gov.

rghughes@delmarvanow.com

On Twitter @hughesg19