Stokes County Commissioners keep tax rate steady: Budget passes with 3-2 vote

(By Leslie Bray Evans, The Stokes News) - After eight work sessions by the board of commissioners, Stokes County has a budget for Fiscal Year 2010-11. And the good news for most county residents is that it contains no tax increase. The 60-cent tax rate per $100 property valuation did not change.

The vote was a close one, with Commissioner Leon Inman and Vice Chair Ernest Lankford voting against the proposed budget. Commissioners Dr. Ron Carroll who made the motion to approve the final draft of the budget with a few changes, Stanley Smith who provided the second and Chair Jimmy Walker cast the votes to approve.

One of the changes made by Carroll was to add a clerical position that would serve Economic Development 75 percent of the time and general administration the other 25 percent.