Leesburg resident Michael Bidinger is still angry over last year’s tax assessment increase.
“I don’t think there’s any fiscal responsibility on what’s happening. On top of the property tax increases, we voted in … new bonds. What’s going on?” Bidinger asked at the March 5 public hearing. He was one of 13 speakers to address a proposed real property tax increase during the hearing, which included 14 items and lasted more than six hours.
Hamilton resident Don Knan asked the board to cap real property assessments and prevent the 46 percent increase on his property in one year.
“That’s incredible. It’s a violation of trust,” Knan said. “Every time you approve an expenditure, that money is coming out of someone else’s pocket, … and you should treat it as your own. Give the budget more of your critical attention.”
The proposed budget for fiscal year 2003 is $875.3 million in school and county expenditures, a 5 percent increase from last year’s budget of $835.5 million. A tax rate of $1.08 per $100 of assessed value is proposed to cover the budget increase and a decrease in state funds, along with the cost of services needed to accommodate the 12,000 to 15,000 residents who moved to the county last year.
“This is the important issue for the board is to control the growth of spending and the growth of the tax rate. Otherwise, the path you’ve tried to take on smart growth is a waste of time,” said Mark Tait, of Middleburg.
Tait’s and the other speaker’s comments did not surprise Supervisor Jim Burton (I-Mercer). “Under the circumstances, this is the kind of reaction I expect. The sudden jump two years in a row in assessments is difficult to deal with,” he said. “It causes a lot of hardships for people. I’m going to have trouble with mine.”
Burton’s assessments increased 47 percent from last year. “I myself won’t support $1.08. I’ll be voting to lower it,” he said.
“It’s a very emotional thing when you dig that deep into my pockets and my children’s education,” said Ashburn resident Sal Mattimino, claiming his assessments increased 19 percent. “You’re taking what I don’t have.”
THE COUNTY HAS advertised the tax rate and was required by state code to hold the public hearing since the aggregate assessed value of existing real property increased more than 1 percent. The aggregate assessed value refers to the total value of property in the county, which is $22.8 billion this year and $19.8 billion in 2001.
“Some people accuse the county, or the politicians sometimes, of a hidden tax increase. There’s nothing hidden about it,” said Bill Gardner, county assessor.
The $1.08 tax rate remains the same as it was during the past two years, while the fair market value of existing real property increased an average of 15 percent from 2001 to 2002. The increase excludes new construction and properties involved in subdivisions after Jan. 1, 2001.
The tax rate would have to drop to $.94 per $100 in assessed value to maintain the same revenue generated from property taxes in 2001, known as the lowered tax rate. On average, the lowered rate would generate the same tax payment as last year. The highest advertised tax rate is $1.12 to fund all the items in the budget, requiring a 19.1 percent increase from last year.
“Most of the members of the board want to see the rate lower,” said Supervisor Bill Bogard (R-Sugarland Run), adding that the board could cut back on increases or split them out over several years and cut or delay some of the projects listed in the budget. “We certainly need to be tighter. Conditions are such, we’ll have to be tighter than in past years.”
THE BOARD WILL HEAR from various department heads on their part of the budget in work sessions scheduled this month. Board members will ask questions, consider areas where reductions can be made and ask that the items included in the individual department budgets be justified.
Board members said they have not set a board goal, but individual board members may have.
Supervisor Eugene Delgaudio (R-Sterling) said he aims to par off several million dollars at each work session. “I will propose in detail $65 million in cuts, programs that need to be zeroed out or the rate of increase reduced,” he said.
The board heard from the community services related departments on March 7 and public safety related departments on March 12. The board plans to hear from community development departments at 7:30 p.m. on March 14, including building and development, economic development, planning services, general services, management services, transportation services and the boards, commissions and committees.
The board scheduled a work session at 9:30 a.m. March 15 to consider amendments to the proposed 2003 budget. Additional work sessions are scheduled at 6:30 p.m. March 19 and March 21. The work sessions will be in the Board Meeting Room in County Government Center, 1 Harrison Street, Leesburg.
Board members plan to take straw votes at some of the work sessions and a final vote at the Board of Supervisors meeting April 1, the deadline for approving the county’s budget and setting the tax rate. The tax rate will be multiplied by the assessed value of real property to calculate individual property tax bills, which will be sent out by the treasurer’s office in April. The first half of the bill is due June 5 and the second Dec. 5.