DURHAM — Durham County Manager Mike Ruffin proposed a 5-cent increase in the county property tax rate Thursday, as well as a referendum for $125.45 million in bonds for the November 2014 ballot.

Ruffin made the proposals at a work session of the Durham County Board of Commissioners.

The tax increase would raise the county property tax to 79.59 cents per $100 valuation, up from 74.59 cents, unless the commissioners make changes in the spending plan.

The bill on a $200,000 house would go up $100, or 6.7 percent, to $1,591.80.

Ruffin is calling on the commissioners to approve the plan by the end of April.

Of the referendum:

$115.2 million would go toward schools

$4 million would go toward open space and farm lands and

$6.25 million would go toward the Museum of Life and Science.

Ruffin said projections show that if commissioners approve the 5-cent tax-rate increase, the county won’t have to raise property taxes again for five years.

Goad: 919-536-8549