Pickens County to hold the line on taxes

Pickens County Administrator Gerald Wilson has told the county council the proposed budget is balanced and there will be no tax increase.  However, the new Pickens County budget was difficult to balance because of a projected 5% increase for health insurance, 7% increase of property and liability insurance, a 2% increase in the county’s state retirement cost, and the implementation of the compensation study for general operations. To avoid increases to the budget, Pickens County eliminated 7 vacant positions, transferred 4 positions to the Sheriff’s Office, and denied requests for 22 additional positions.