Justin Allen

Anson Record

The Anson County Commission approved a tax rate of $0.767 for the fiscal year 2012-2013 on Thursday.

The Commission will meet on Friday to approve the budget. The proposed budget is $26.5 million and assumes a tax collection rate of 92.68 percent, the current collection rate. County Manager Lawrence Gatewood has expressed a desire at recent meetings to improve that collection rate over time by a few percentage points to bring it in line with other counties in the state. Statewide, the collection rate is 97.19 percent and Anson’s population peer group, similar counties, collects 95.81 percent.

Anson County Schools will receive $3,775,880, which is the same amount that the Board of Education requested, and South Piedmont Community College will receive $794,149, including $183,250 for capital projects.

County employees will receive a 2.5-percent cost of living increase and full restoration of 401(k) contributions. The Register of Deeds will now be eligible for this contribution as well.

The proposed budget calls for $250,000 in interior courthouse renovations, $183,250 in roof repairs at the Lockhart-Taylor Center as well as paving repairs, $150,000 in renovations of the facade of the Belk building and $70,000 for the maintenance and storage building at Little Park.

The budget includes $69,197 in contingency/emergency funds.