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Board adopts budget, taxes
After some last-minute wrangling, supervisors voted overwhelmingly – but not unanimously – to adopt a new budget and tax rate on Tuesday.The new budget, which was created by county staff and modified by Chairman Corey Stewart (R), is based on a tax rate of $1.204 per $100 of assessed value.
Under the new plan, the average homeowners will see a $62 increase in their tax bills next year, primarily because home values are back on the rise.
The budget also includes four to six new fields at Catharpin Park for football, soccer and lacrosse. While the fields won't have to be funded for several years, county officials said Tuesday that work on the fields can theoretically begin “tomorrow.”
The spending plan also includes additional funding for trails in parks throughout the county, as well as the new Gainesville Library.
Approved by voters in 2006, the library was set to open in 2012 at the intersection of U.S. 15 and Lightner Road but was put on hold indefinitely after the economy tanked.
Now, it's back on schedule and expected to open in 2015.
There have been no new libraries built in the county since 1994 and the bond called for a $24 million, 20,000-square-foot facility near the existing library in Gainesville.
The current Gainesville Neighborhood Library, located in Long Park in Haymarket, is little more than 2,000 square feet.
The new library will be about the size of the Bull Run Regional Library outside Manassas and will house the 200-year-old Gainesville farmhouse, called the “Bushy Park” house, inside its entryway.
The budget also includes funding for a new fire station on the Prince William Parkway, which will open in 2016.
Nokesville Station #5 and Coles Station #6 will both be torn down and completely rebuilt over the next five years. Gainesville Station #4 will be renovated, but not completely reconstructed.
Stewart's revisions to the proposed budget also mean the county will get 11 new police officers and eight social workers.
The social workers were somewhat of a sticking point on Tuesday, as several supervisors suggested hiring more. In the end, however, the board voted to approve the eight.
Road projects are also included in the spending plan, which funds the projects approved in the 2006 Road Bond Referendum, including Route 28 from Linton Hall Road to Fitzwater Drive.
Nonprofits traditionally funded in part by the county will get an additional 2 percent and county employees will also get a 2-percent cost-of-living raise in the coming year.
Finally, the board opted to raise the exemption for BPOL (business, professional and occupational license) taxes from $100,000 to $200,000, meaning more small businesses will be exempt.
All of the new spending caused some concern for Occoquan Supervisor Mike May (R), who said he worried about spending too much too quickly after a recession.
“My concern is that we're being too ambitious,” May said, explaining that he doesn't want to add in a lot of new spending this year only to have to cut it next year if the economic upturn stalls out.
“I think they're important,” he said of the spending items. “I just think we need to be careful of the speed.”
May proposed instead lowering the tax rate and cutting spending but Stewart – usually a staunch tax-cutter – objected.
“If we wait a year, all these proposals are going to cost us a lot more money,” he said.
Stewart argued that roads, parks and police officers are needed and that it will cost more to fund them once the economy picks up steam.
“It's the responsible thing to do to do these projects now and not delay it,” he said.
In the end, the majority of supervisors agreed, with only Gainesville Supervisor John Stirrup (R) and May voting against the budget.
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