Before the city council unanimously passed a budget on Tuesday that includes a 4-cent tax increase for the upcoming fiscal year, Roanoke Rapids Mayor Emery Doughtie shared his thoughts.

The mayor, who doesn’t have a vote unless there’s a tie, said, “If I were voting, I don’t think I would vote for this budget. I look at where we are now, where we were a few years ago, but I’m mostly looking at where we’re going to be next year and the next year.”

His comments were tied to the fund balance, from which $789,190 was used along with the tax increase to balance the $20,304,368 financial plan. “We didn’t spend the money that we took out of fund balance last year, but we’re running too close. Our revenues are down. We’ve got some things on the horizon now that look like they might make things better in the future. We all know sometimes the horizon continues to move forward and we don’t ever get to catch up with it.”

The mayor referenced a woman who shared an email about her vision for the community, but if things didn’t materialize, she might move somewhere else. He also referenced comments made by Ephraim Brodsky, both during Tuesday’s meeting and past meetings. “His comments are very informative sometimes. Sometimes he obviously doesn’t agree with us.”

With the cost of living going up, Doughtie said, “I don’t think anything in the next few years could be considered off the table. We’ve all expressed our interest in conserving our police department, but if things were so bad, we might have to do something. I can’t say we can’t because we have to live within our means just like you do at your home. If you let your wants get ahead of your needs, it catches up with you and it costs you dearly.”

The mayor said planning for the next fiscal year budget needs to occur sooner. “What are we going to do to change so we don’t have to take more money out of the fund balance? What are we going to do to increase our revenues?”

He has already sent an email to the state legislature about working with the county and revisiting a sales tax or entertainment district tax. “Something like that could bring in sizable revenues. The great thing about that is a huge percentage of that money would come from individuals traveling up and down the interstate. That would be money that’s coming from people that have money because they’re riding up and down the road spending it. That would be a big bonus for us.”

Doughtie said he and Halifax County Board of Commissioners Chairman Vernon Bryant have discussed the matter.

The mayor said while the council’s job is to look out for its employees, it also has to focus on the citizens who put them in office. “They’re paying our salaries and the salaries of everyone else in here.”

Before Councilman Warren Keith Bell made the motion to approve the budget, Councilman Andy Jackson asked to speak. “This has been a tough budget,” Jackson said, noting that the police department remains intact and will stay intact. “I know there’s a certain level of service the city needs in policing. I have walked these streets in the middle of the night. I know exactly what the city needs as far as the level of policing.”

Jackson said he believes the city can tweak minimum housing enforcement. “There’s a company that you can contract with for about $50 an hour for 10 hours a week. They’ll come in and do your minimum housing and they’re unbiased. I do think that’s something we need to look at and we could save money that way.”

Following Jackson’s comments, Bell made the motion to adopt the budget with Councilman Rex Stainback casting the second.

Doughtie said after the meeting, “We need to start working on what we’re going to try to get done for the next year.”

Councilwoman Sandra Bryant said one idea is to have periodic meetings—perhaps every other month—and rotate council members in “to keep everybody informed and bringing in new ideas.”