On Thursday, November 19, Governor Roy Cooper signed the state budget into law providing much needed funding for investments in Yancey County.
The monumental dollar amount from the state budget will go to fund many projects in Yancey County and is the result of collaborative discussions between NC Senator Ralph Hise, Representative Mark Pless, the Yancey County Board of Commissioners, County Manager Lynn Austin, and others.
Highlights of the budget specific to Yancey County includes:
- $515,000 provides funds for the Anspach Advanced Manufacturing School at Mayland Community College Yancey Campus. The funds will support equipment purchases and operational expenses.
- $1,100,000 provides a grant to the Yancey County School System for a new field turf at Mountain Heritage High School.
- $30,000 provides a grant to Burnsville Volunteer Fire and Rescue for equipment.
- $800,000 provides a grant to the Yancey Fire Association for a new training facility.
- $5,000,000 provides a grant to Yancey County for the purchase of land and construction of a new sheriff’s office and dispatch center.
- $350,000 provides a grant to Yancey County for capital improvements.
- Includes funding for relief and recovery efforts from Tropical Storm Fred.
- Includes funding for North Carolina Rural Tourism Recovery Pilot Program.
- $13,000,000 granted for water and wastewater infrastructure projects.
Additionally, the budget provides raises for Yancey County teachers and state employees, personal income tax rates will drop to 4.99% next year and includes taking the corporate rate 0.00% by 2030 and last but not least this budget includes a provision that military retirees will no longer have to pay state tax on their pensions.
“The amount of funding provided by the state budget is extraordinary for our county. The Yancey County Commissioners and I would like to thank the efforts of so many who have been vital to bringing this to pass, and we extend a special appreciation to Senator Ralph Hise and Representative Mark Pless for all they did make the needs of Yancey County a priority. We also would like to thank Governor Roy Cooper for recognizing the prevailing good that this budget contains for our community” stated Yancey County Manager Lynn Austin.
