Morrisville’s proposed budget won’t raise town residents’ taxes, and it might help some of them buy a house.

Town Manager Martha Paige’s nearly $49.5 million budget includes money for four new staff positions, raises for town workers, stormwater treatment, playground upgrades and a dog park.

Paige also includes money to replace police body and dashboard cameras, repair town facilities and build new cricket pitches. The town hopes to hold major league and international cricket matches at Church Street Park.

The proposal lists projects set for development and completion over the next couple of years like Phase 1 of the 25-acre mixed-use Town Center project and Crabtree Creek Nature Park that includes a pavilion, accessible playground, and a greenway.

The Town Council must approve the budget, which Paige said “focuses on sustaining core services valued by the community,” before the new fiscal year begins July 1.

“The work over this next month will be focused on discussing and demonstrating the alignment of the proposed budget with town’s council’s goals and priorities for the coming year,” she said Tuesday.

Will local taxes go up?

Paige does not recommend a property tax increase in her proposed budget.

The plan maintains the town’s tax rate at 39 cents per $100 of property valuation.

Included in the tax rate is 3 cents for up to $37 million in bond projects that voters approved in November 2021 for public safety, streets, sidewalks and connectivity.

Morrisville property owners would still see higher total tax bills if Wake County’s property tax rate rises to 65.2 cents per $100 of assessed property value, as currently proposed.

With the county and town property taxes combined, the owner of a $358,000 home in Morrisville would pay $3,730, a $116 increase, if the county’s proposed budget is approved.

Paige does propose a $10 increase in the town’s stormwater fee, from $40 to $50.

What are the town’s plans for affordable housing?

“There are things we just always have to keep in focus and couldn’t put in a budget,” said Jeanne Hooks, the town’s director of management services.

“There are things that we need to get a better understanding of so that we can better design a strategy for the future,” she explained. “Our biggest one here, of course, is affordable housing.”

The N.C. Housing Coalition estimates 1 in 4 Wake County households is cost-burdened, meaning they spend more than 30% of their income on rent or mortgage and utilities. That rises to 45% among renters, the coalition says.

There is not a specific amount of money designated for an affordable housing initiative in the budget.

Morrisville is in phase 2 of its Affordable Housing Plan, which includes designing a down payment assistance program and reviewing land donation and land trust options.

The Town Council will be looking at that program in July, after the budget is passed, Paige told The News & Observer in an email. In the meantime, no decision has been made yet on whether to add a penny to the tax rate for affordable housing program costs, she wrote.

What else should I know?

The budget proposes a plan to “retain and reward” the town’s current employees. Paige also recommends four new full-time positions, two of which are currently part-time:

• an athletics maintenance technician for expanded park operations, specifically at Church Street Park for cricket operations

• a senior capital projects manager to manage the number and complexity of projects in town

• a conversion of a part-time recreation program leader to a full time position

• a conversion of a 3/4 time aquatics specialist to full-time

A 2% market conditions pay adjustment is in the budget for all full-time and part-time 30-hour employees.

Additionally, merit awards for employees, based on job performance, could bring an up to 6% additional increase.

Where can I read the budget or voice my opinion?

The Town Council will review and could change the manager’s budget during work sessions May 11 and May 18.

You can read the spending plan on the town’s website and provide feedback at budget@townofmorrisville.com through May 23.

You can attend and speak at the budget hearing at 6 p.m. May 23 in Morrisville Town Hall, 100 Town Hall Drive.