Norman looks for ways to offset loss of revenue

NORMAN — The Norman Town Council is working quickly to find new ways of generating income as they continue to deal with the fallout of the Richmond County Board of Commissioners’ decision to change the sales tax distribution method from per capita to ad valorem in April.

Projections using numbers from the fiscal year 2018-2019 show that Norman stands to lose all of its sales tax revenue under ad valorem. Norman has never levied taxes on its residents, and the only service the town offers is street lights. So Norman has relied heavily on its share of the county’s sales tax revenue, and the move to ad valorem put the town’s solvency in question.

Town Council already approved several cuts to the budget for the fiscal year 2020-2021. Now, the Council is planning ways to raise much-needed funds to offset the lost revenue. Norman Fest and the Chick-n-Pick-n Music Jamboree — events that generated income and brought thousands to Norman — are already off the table. Both events were slashed during budget talks.

“I don’t know if it’s going to be like Norman Fest, but we looked at getting something started similar to Norman Fest,” Mayor Pro Tem Stephen Cranford said. “But we’d have a different version of it. It’s something that’s in the making.

“For right now we’re trying to keep it small until this virus is gone,” he continued.

Norman Fest typically includes music, car shows, helicopter rides, zoo exhibits and other attractions.

The town is also considering hosting community gatherings with live music and food for sale, Cranford said.

Norman recently got a financial boost when an independent contractor who constructs wood pallets leased the town’s old community building for six months.

“That was a great tribute there,” Cranford said. “That’s going to help us a whole lot to make up some of the lost revenue.”

“… It was a quick deal, and we didn’t want to lose it,” Cranford added. “He offered to pay us what we asked for.”

Community support needed

A small group of Norman residents showed up to the Norman Town Council meeting earlier this month and spoke with council members about what could be done to remedy the effects of the switch to ad valorem. Cranford said that type of active citizenship will be crucial as the town continues to plan for the future while also lobbying the County Commissioners to rethink the sales tax distribution method change.

“Those are the first people who’ve really stepped up and offered assistance, and wanted to do something for the town,” Cranford said. “We don’t want to lose contact with them.”