Supes talk taxes

VERONA — The Augusta County Board of Supervisors voted Monday to advertise a 2009-10 budget that features a reduced tax rate for county residents of 48 cents per $100 of assessed value, 10 cents lower than the current rate.

The supervisors have said all along that they would offer a tax rate to minimize the effects of the county’s reassessment, which continues to be the subject of controversy.

There is a potential lawsuit against the county to set the reassessment aside and a recall petition effort against supervisors, citing their negligence and incompetence.

South River Supervisor David Beyeler said Monday that supervisors should offer a 49-cent rate, saying that using money from the county’s fund balance to support a 48-cent rate was not wise.

“At 49 cents, 40 percent of the people will pay less taxes than they are today,” Beyeler said.

Riverheads Supervisor Nancy Sorrells supported Beyeler’s motion.

Pastures Supervisor Tracy Pyles said the board had promised a revenue-neutral tax rate and that a rate of 48.2 cents would allow for that.

Board Chairman Larry Howdyshell expressed support for a revenue-neutral tax rate, but said he did not want to jeopardize basic services.

The board voted to go with the lower rate of 48 cents.

As of now, the 48-cent tax rate would support a general fund budget of about $74 million.

The budget will go to public hearing April 29, and could be approved May 6.

The budget reflects the current economic crisis. Salaries are frozen for 2009-10 and the county’s finance director forecasts that Augusta County will have a drop in revenue next fiscal year of more than $3.6 million because of less money coming from personal property taxes and investment income.

Openings due to layoffs and unfilled jobs are among the 19 positions that will not be included in next year’s budget.

Five of the proposed 10 layoffs include part-time library aides and two are in the county’s building department, where an office assistant and inspector would not be retained.

County Administrator Pat Coffield said the building department cuts are because of the reduced sales of new housing in the county.

Coffield said grant funding could help offset the library cuts, and Sorrells said those cuts would come at a time “when library use is soaring.”

Supervisors sparred verbally during Monday’s budget meeting over whether to include an economic development office and director in next year’s budget.

Pyles said the most important responsibility is to provide county residents fire and rescue services so that if a resident “calls 911, someone shows up.”

Of the economic development director, Pyles said that, considering the county’s other needs, “it will strike people as odd to do this now.”

Middle River member Gerald Garber said the timing for the position is criticxal.

“I’m concerned about jobs and small businesses,” he said. “We spent a ton of money studying economic developent.”

Garber said Augusta County needs a “cheerleader for people and businesses in this county”

Supervisors voted 5-2 to fund the position in next year’s budget. While the initial funding for the economic development office is $166,089, about a third of the money is being carried over from the current year’s budget.