SALISBURY – Pleas to prioritize countywide water and sewer and requests to improve roadways and increase salaries highlighted a public hearing this week on Wicomico’s proposed fiscal year 2023 budget.
On Tuesday, the Wicomico County Council held a public hearing on the proposed operating budget for the coming fiscal year. The $173 million spending plan includes $19.6 million for corrections, $59 million for the Wicomico County Board of Education, and $15 million for the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office, among other things.
During public comments, District 2 resident David James urged officials to consider facility improvements at Wetipquin Park and road repairs in western Wicomico.
“The roads down that way need work,” he said.
Councilman Joe Holloway agreed.
“I’ve been beating on that drum for years …,” he said. “Our rural citizens deserve the same kind of roads that the people living in the nicer developments in and around Salisbury have.”
County resident Monica Brooks also came before the council Tuesday urging the county to budget for countywide water and sewer. Last fall, the county received the final draft of a water and sewer master plan, providing a roadmap of sorts for financing, constructing and maintaining a countywide system.
“I know you don’t know where the money’s going to come from, but I want to say it’s a priority for many of our residents to get this water and sewer,” she said. “You’ve already heard so many headaches, of people experiencing problems with their septic tanks failing.”
In his comments to the council, resident Kyle Cole urged the county to adopt competitive salary increases for employees.
“I’m hoping these salary increases in the budget have competitive salaries for all Wicomico County employees because they are the ones who keep this county open,” he said. “They are the reason we’re able to operate on a daily basis.”
Last month, Acting County Executive John Psota presented the county council with his proposed fiscal year 2023 budget.
The spending plan, totaling $173,908,637, proposes a balanced budget funded by several revenue sources and a real property tax rate of $0.9070. Council Administrator Laura Hurley said the officials will hold budget work sessions in the coming weeks.
“The budget proposes a decrease in the real property tax rate, but since the property tax rate is higher than our constant yield rate, a public hearing is required by state law,” she added. “That will be held at the next council meeting scheduled for May 17 at 10 a.m.”
