Public can comment on proposed Bethlehem budget
The budget for the proposed Town of Bethlehem is currently under review by the North Carolina State Treasurer, which is the final step before the incorporation packet is sent to the N.C. General Assembly. The budget review meeting will take place on April 1, 2025. Prior to the April 1 meeting, the public can voice their concerns specifically about the budget, and these concerns will be considered during the meeting. The link to the online comment form is provided below.
The State Treasurer comment form is online at: https://lgcportal.nctreasurer.com/public-participation/
Select “Alexander County” as the unit name. Comments should begin by referencing they are about the incorporation of Bethlehem in Alexander County.
The incorporation proposal, as outlined by proponents Don and Marie Taylor, of Bethlehem, does not show a full budget on their pro-incorporation website, bethlehemzoning.com, but it does list an estimated annual budget of $550,000 per year, based on $0.05 (five cents) per $100 property tax valuation at https://www.bethlehemzoning.com/budget-estimates and on page 3 of the incorporation petition document at https://www.bethlehemzoning.com/s/bethlehem-petition.pdf
The Treasurer’s Office will review the budget and issue a written opinion—note that this is not an approval or rejection. This opinion will be included with the packet submitted to the Municipal Incorporations Subcommittee of the General Assembly.
Also, this link shows all State Treasurer meeting agendas, recordings, and notes, which will include a post-meeting recap:
For further reading, the 28-page summary of the Municipal Incorporation Procedure in North Carolina is in this document:
https://webservices.ncleg.gov/ViewDocSiteFile/56137
The proposed Town of Bethlehem would include the Bethlehem 1 and Bethlehem 2 voting districts, above.
