It’s still possible that Stafford County property owners will see a tax rate increase this year, but it’s not yet certain.
The Board of Supervisors voted 4-3 on Tuesday night to advertise a real-estate tax rate rise of 5 cents, from $0.8936 per $100 of assessed value to $0.9436 per $100.
Advertising the rate means that the supervisors can later approve a levy that’s lower but not higher. Approving a higher rate would require re-advertising that rate and holding an additional public hearing.
The $0.9436 rate is what County Administrator Bill Ashton recently proposed as part of a $1 billion budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1.
But that rate didn’t come without some work, Ashton said.
Raising the tax rate by that amount would be necessary even though Ashton proposes cutting $4 million from the current budget’s base amount, he said. An increase in mandatory expenses means Stafford would have had to increase the real-estate tax rate by an even larger amount — 8 cents — even if county staff proposed no other spending increases.
At the same time, the School Board recently approved a $503.1 million education budget for the next fiscal year that projects only $484.8 million in revenue. That leaves a funding gap of $18.3 million that would have to be filled.
Ashton’s spending plan includes roughly $175 million for school operating costs, about $5 million more than this year’s level. But it’s unlikely that supervisors, who have the final say on the county budget, will devote a full additional $18.3 million to pass on to the schools.
Tuesday’s vote came after a tense debate about whether to raise the rate at all. Board of Supervisors Chairman Deuntay Diggs had to use the gavel more than once to try to get control of the meeting, and a county sheriff’s deputy who provides security at meetings stood at the ready in case he was asked to assist.
Twenty-one people testified about the budget at the meeting, and a dozen of them urged the supervisors not to raise the tax rate.
Falmouth District Supervisor Meg Bohmke also initially moved to advertise the current rate of $0.8936 per $100. For his part, Diggs even suggested possibly raising the 5 percent meals tax rate to raise more revenue.
But, in the end, Diggs voted with board Vice Chairwoman Tinesha Allen and Supervisors Monica Gary of the Aquia District and Pamela Yeung of the Garrisonville District to advertise the county administrator’s proposed rate.
Allen said that not raising the tax rate this year may mean that it just has to be increased more in subsequent years.
“So these are not easy decisions,” she said.
Gary also pleaded with Rock Hill District Supervisor Crystal Vanuch to reveal what Vanuch said was a plan to cut county spending.
“I really am just trying to understand,” Gary said, adding that she believes a budget is a moral document, not just a fiscal one, since itt shows priorities.
Vanuch didn’t go into details, but she said she was confident that supervisors could “absolutely” come up with a plan that slices the tax rate. She voted against advertising Ashton’s rate along with Bohmke and Hartwood District Supervisor Darrell English.
“I will not vote to raise taxes this year. Period. Full stop,” Vanuch said.
The supervisors will hold public hearings on the budget March 25 and April 15. They’re scheduled to approve a spending plan April 15.
