Angela Pitchford

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MAXTON — The Maxton Board of Commissioners on Tuesday approved a budget for fiscal year 2013-14 that holds the property tax rate steady, does not add or eliminate jobs, does not include a cost-of-living raise for employees, and does not increase fees.

The new budget goes into effect July 1.

According to the town’s interim manager, Angela Pitchford, the $3.1 million budget includes a General Fund of $1,42 million as well as a Critical Needs grant from the Rural Center for improvements to the town’s wastewater system of $280,530.

The town’s property tax rate remains at 80 cents per $100 of property value, Pitchford said. She also said the town will continue to furlough its employees and town offices will continue to be open only four days a week.

“This is a tight budget. We’re trying to keep expenses down,” Pitchford said. “Our ultimate goal is to bring up our General Fund and get employees off furlough.”

Maxton has been financially strapped for the past two years and is currently being monitored by the state.

“We supply the state with a budget vs. actual expense report and a cash-balance report every month,” Pitchford said.

At a budget work session last month, Myra Tyndall, an assistant in the Finance Department, told the commissioners that the town is expected to lose about $30,000 in privilege license taxes a year because Internet-gaming establishments have been shut down by the state. The town could also lose up to $120,000, she said, because of proposed legislation in the General Assembly that would reform the tax code.

That adds up to a $150,000 of lost revenue for the town.