County Council gave its nod to the final reading of the new county budget Wednesday.

The final mix in the $20 million budget comes to 4 percent less than last year’s.

While the budget is decreased, the county expects to see a $1.4 million decline in revenue.

This decline will be due to new property reassessment figures which will cut tax revenue by $1.1 million, an estimated $450,000 cut in automobile tax revenue due to declines in SUV values and state budget cuts of $200,000.

“Though we are only working with estimates of the mill value at this point, we anticipate the general operating levy to drop by 6.4 mills, from 144.3 mills to 137.9 mills – a drop of 4.4 percent,” according to County Administrator Wayne Adams. “Approved spending for FY 10-11 general operations also declined 4 percent, by about $800,000. A 6.4 mill drop in the tax rate equates to a $25.60 reduction in the tax liability per $100,000 of taxable market value on an owner-occupied home. For a second home or commercial property, the decrease is estimated at $38.40 per $100,000 of taxable market value. A 0.8-mill decrease in the special education levy is expected to add savings of $3.20 and $4.80, respectively, to these amounts.”

New items in the budget are a helicopter pad in Chappells, a $25,000 restoration at the Village Cemetery, and renovating the old Silverstreet fire department into a 12-hour EMS station.

Councilmen elected to postpone deciding on giving employees a bonus until mid-year but have put aside $200,000 in the council’s savings fund that could be used for bonuses. The decision to allot the bonuses would not be made until the end of the calendar year. This will give the council time to determine mid-year budget cuts and a forecast for the next budget.

In other business discussed by County Council on Wednesday:

• The council delayed third reading on changing the setbacks for commercial campgrounds until more study is done on the issue.

• Second reading was given to rezone 4.7 acres of land at the intersection of Ira Kinard and Lake roads from single family residential to general commercial. The property currently houses an empty gas station and storage facility.

• Second reading was given to an ordinance to put the one-cent capital projects question on the November ballot. The tax will pay for a number of capital projects in the county including a new Piedmont Technical College.

• As a money saving effort, the council gave first reading to reissue $3 million in loans to public bonds. If the refinancing passes the interest on the loans would decrease from 4.9 percent to around 3.1 or 3.15 percent for a savings of between $150,000 and $313,000.

• The council gave first reading to enter into a joint county industrial park agreement with Fairfield County. This will allow the proposed energy supplier Rollcast to get more job credits.