Mount Pleasant, SC Approves $65.12M budget

Days after Mount Pleasant was named an All-America City, it was back to business for Town Council, which on Tuesday approved a $65.12 million budget for the coming fiscal year.

The plan remained largely unchanged from a first reading last month, with council tacking on $367,140 to the general fund from the sale of easements to a communications company.

An unexpected $320,000 spike in revenues received from county taxes, which officials said they had budgeted for conservatively, will go toward municipal complex improvements and several other projects covered by tax-increment financing.

“We’re very pleased with the way the process went this year,” said Eric DeMoura, Mount Pleasant deputy administrator. “The budget met the council’s goal of not increasing taxes while also not decreasing the amount of services we offer.”

The budget, which is balanced, includes no tax increases for the 17th straight year, and no municipal positions were eliminated, officials said.

No new jobs are budgeted, however, and town employees won’t receive raises or Christmas bonuses. The town currently has about 40 positions that it won’t fill.

DeMoura said employees could reap the benefits of $317,000 of budget surplus midyear, if plans stay on track.

For the All-America City award, $25,000 was moved from a contingency fund to promote the distinction, including the installation of star-spangled road signs.

Among the town’s capital investments, the police department is set to receive 25 replacement cars, and a new ladder truck and pumper truck are scheduled for the fire department. Two new garbage trucks have also been budgeted.

In all, the 2011 budget is about 1% higher than 2010’s.