FOREST ACRES, S.C. — Property taxes may be going up for residents in Forest Acres. City leaders said the money is necessary to offset police department salaries.
Forest Acres is deciding how to divide its $9 million budget throughout the city.
"Seventy percent of the budget is personnel, and so we don't have a lot of variants in those kinds of things," City Administrator Shaun Greenwood said. "Typical increases you see year over year that every city is experiencing right now."
Greenwood said nearly half of that budget goes towards safety -- supporting the Forest Acres Police Department.
In March, the city approved pay raises for its police officers.
"While I'm all for paying the police, I mean, they've got a dangerous job; I think it said half of the Forest Acres budget goes to the police department; that seems high," longtime resident Harry Darby said.
Greenwood said the salary boost is a necessity for recruitment and retention.
"Council approved an increase for the police department, a $2,000 across-the-board increase for the police department, which roughly, for us, that equates to roughly $80,000 new to the budget," he said.
In 2022, the city approved a salary increase for the sanitation department. While personnel could soon put more money in their pockets, homeowners in the city could be putting out more.
"A 1.38 mill increase this year in the budget, which would increase residential property taxes," the administrator said.
A rough estimate of the exact cost?
"For every $100,000 of assessed value for a home, that's roughly $5 and 20 cents per year," he said. "So, if you're looking at a $300,000 home, it's $15 per year."
This millage increase would help cover the $80,000 the city allotted for the police department raises. The final vote on the budget will take place at a special meeting on Tuesday at 6 p.m.