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Sussex County has unveiled a proposed budget of $126.7 million for 2025, marking a 3.2% increase from last year's budget of $122.8 million. This proposal includes a slight tax rate hike, the first in two years, with an average increase of just under four cents per $100 valuation. The tax rate will vary across the county's 24 municipalities due to differing assessments.
The budget outlines significant allocations, with 22% directed toward capital, debt, and statutory expenditures. Public safety and insurance will each receive 19% of the budget, while public works, which includes mosquito control and maintenance of 60 county-owned buildings, will receive 13%. Education and general government will each receive 10% of the budget.
A notable feature of the budget is a $500 stipend for volunteer firefighters to help offset the costs of mandatory Firefighter I and II courses at the Public Safety Training Academy operated by Sussex County Community College. Deputy Commissioners' Director Chris Carney expressed support for the budget, stating, "It's a good budget."
The budget also includes a $13.7 million capital budget aimed at equipment replacement, building upkeep, and road construction projects. This includes renovations at the County Clerk's office, upgrades at the Prosecutor's office, and improvements to county libraries. The capital budget will also fund new equipment for the Sheriff's Office and the purchase and maintenance of county vehicles.
County Administrator Ron Tappan noted that Sussex County's finances, including the proposed budget, have contributed to the county receiving a AA+ bond rating, the highest possible for a county of its size. Public hearings on the budget and related ordinances, including a $3.7 million sewer plant project at Sussex County Technical School, are scheduled for April 23.