In two of his four proposed budgets, Carrboro Town Manager Steve Stewart has managed to leave out a property tax increase.

But this year, he said he doesn’t have a choice.

Tuesday night, Stewart presented a budget to the Carrboro Board of Aldermen that calls for a property tax increase of 3.23 cents to 68.6 cents overall.

It’s a $18.4 million budget which Stewart calls lean.

The only areas of expansion are for installing six waterless urinals in the Carrboro Century Center, two additional police officers and funding for extra staffing for the Orange County Land Trust.

In facing a possible tax increase, Carrboro is hardly alone.

Chapel Hill and Hillsborough’s town managers have also pitched hikes, and Stewart believes Orange County’s budget will suggest an even higher rate.

Stewart also wants decreases in the pay for performance system for town employees and an increase in health insurance costs.

The first public hearing on the budget will be May 27th.