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<p><strong>From staff reports&nbsp;</strong></p>
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<p>Beaufort City Council passed the City of Beaufort’s operating budget of $23,769,178 for Fiscal Year 2022 at its June 22 Regular Meeting. The fiscal year begins on July 1, 2021, and ends on June 30, 2022.&nbsp;</p>
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<p>The budget includes a modest reduction in property taxes and reflects the City’s expectation that tourism will rebound in the coming year.&nbsp;</p>
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<p>The $23.7 million comes in at 3.24 percent over the FY 2021 budget, and includes a 1.1 millage reduction, which means that homeowners will pay less in property tax.&nbsp;</p>
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<p>General Fund appropriations, which includes most City of Beaufort departmental operations and debt service, are estimated to be $18.7 million. The Parks &amp; Tourism Fund appropriations, which include some police operations, marine operations, Waterfront Park operations, parking operations and various downtown operations, are budgeted at $3.3 million.&nbsp;</p>
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<p>The Stormwater Utility Fund is budgeted at $1.1 million, and the State Accommodations Fund, which includes various tourism and marketing functions, as well as grants, is budgeted for $491,686. The Fire Impact Fund is budgeted at $70,400.&nbsp;</p>
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<p>Homeowners will see an increase in their monthly trash refuse fee, which last went up in 2014. It is increasing from $16.20 to $20 a month beginning with the July billing cycle. Capital Waste Services of Columbia will take over the City’s trash and recycling services beginning July 1.&nbsp;</p>
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<p>The budget sets various fees for FY 2022, from special duty fees for police services to park deposit fees to building permit fees, which remain at FY 2021 levels.&nbsp;</p>
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<p>The budget reflects no new debt.&nbsp;</p>
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<p>The budget ordinance can be found at https://bit.ly/2TnhRG.&nbsp;</p>
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