Port Royal’s $9.4 million budget includes 6% pay raise for 45 employees. What about taxes?
Applause rang out in the Port Royal Town Council chambers Thursday when Councilman Darryl Owens pointed out the budget contained no increase in tax mills.
“Thanks for a balanced budget,” Owens told staff members.
Council members unanimously OK’d a $9.4 million operating budget for 2023-24 that includes a 6% percent pay increase for the town’s 45 employees but keeps the number of mills the same at 74.
The budget also includes money to hire a police officer, code enforcement officer and administrative staff who will assist with building permits and zoning and planning.
The budget is 8.6% more than 2022-23 with the increase the result of additional revenue from property taxes, business license fees and franchise fees paid by utilities, Town Manager Van Willis said.
It’s going to be a busy year for capital projects for the town.
The Town Council previously OK’d $5 million in capital projects for 2023-24, a 900% increase.
One of the projects is demolishing the old shrimp dock on Battery Creek and building a new dock where commercial shrimp, tuna and swordfish boats can offload their catch. A seafood processing facility also is planned. The town now has $2.6 million to put toward that project after the 2023 state Legislature awarded it $1 million, Willis said.
“Everybody needs to eat local shrimp,” Councilman Jerry Ashmore said.
Spanish Moss Trail is also getting a new crossing over busy Ribaut Road, and road resurfacing, new sidewalks and stormwater projects are scheduled as well.
