<< Back 6/5/02 Swain won’t increase taxes in new budget SMN Swain County Administrator Linda Cable said Swain’s $7,080,359 budget would include no tax increase and no loss of services. Cable said Swain officials included the $65,000 due from the state in reimbursements in their budget in hopes the state would realize the need and release the funds. She said conservative estimates of other revenue should cover the county if the state keeps the reimbursements. Swain is another county moving towards adopting the half-cent Local Option Sales Tax. The General Assembly increased state sales tax by one-half cents in 2001as part of its biennial budget act. The tax is scheduled to end July 1, 2003, at which time counties have the option of levying the local option in lieu of state reimbursements. A public hearing is scheduled for Monday, June 24, at 4:30 p.m. in the commissioners conference room of the Swain County Administration Building. The hearing is scheduled to discuss the adoption of an ordinance to establish a Swain County Planning Board plus discuss a resolution endorsing the levy of the half-cent sales tax. Cable said the sales tax is estimated to generate $210,000 in revenue for the county. The revenue will be needed to replace the loss of reimbursements and to help keep up with the rising cost of Medicaid, according to Cable.