On March 15th the North Kingstown Town Council unanimously passed a preliminary budget of $121,722,837. This represents a 2.24% property tax increase with a 3.46% increase in the general fund budget. Most of the increase can be attributed to the following:
• Fully funding the school department's operational request
• $100,000 increase in town contribution to the school capital improvement budget
• $750,000 for reinstating our town paving program
• $250,000 contribution to our post retirement benefit obligations (we did not make this contribution last year)
• $304,000 Significant increase in P&L insurance
• $154,000-new playground at Wilson and McGinn Parks, and the beach campus
• $49,841-New leased police vehicles
• $94,696-New leased public works vehicles
• $50,000 to assess the feasibility of a new public safety complex, recreational center, and/or municipal office building.
• Implementing the 4-platoon system to the fire department (now a state law requirement)
• Restoration of the Gilbert Stuart Bridge
• New bus for the senior center
• Full property revaluation (required by state law)
• Instituting Police bike patrol (new)
• In addition, the water department and golf courses will undergo significant improvements that will be paid for by their own self-sustaining budgets.
There will be a public hearing on the budget to hear citizen input on Monday, April 14, 2021. The public is invited to speak on the town portion of our budget at 6:30 PM and on the school portion at 7:00 PM.
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