Supervisors: Augusta tax rate as advertised for next year's budget

VERONA – Members of the Augusta County Board of Supervisors say raising the county’s tax rate for next year’s budget was never a serious consideration.

Supervisors agreed Tuesday to advertise the same real estate and personal property tax rates for the 2010-11 budget.

The current real estate tax rate of 48 cents per $100 will be advertised for the April 21 budget public hearing.

The tax rate advertised for personal property tax on vehicles will remain at $2.25 per $100 and $1.90 per $100 on personal property business vehicles such as dump trucks or backhoes.

“We did not collectively talk about it,’’ said Board of Supervisors Chairman Gerald Garber of the tax rate. “But with the way everybody’s personal finances are, we knew it was not on the table.”

Riverheads Supervisors Nancy Sorrells said she and her colleagues “were hopeful we could cover everything without having to touch that [tax rate].’’

Also on Tuesday, supervisors reached a consensus on how to deal with funding needs for both county schools and constitutional offices such as the Augusta County Sheriff’s Office.

Supervisors agreed to take $1.25 million from a fund set up to build a county recreation center.

The board members agreed that the recreation center could not be built in the current down economy.

Garber said about half of the money will go to help the Augusta County Schools replenish their capital account.

The Augusta County School Board had voted last week to take $650,000 from a debt service account to help balance the budget.

A portion of the remaining money taken from the rec center account will be used to help with additional state funding shortfalls for constitutional offices and other agencies that Augusta County learned about Tuesday.

Augusta County Finance Director Jennifer Whetzel said the largest of those state cuts included one of $160,000 for the Sheriff’s Office.

Pastures Supervisor Tracy Pyles said it would be difficult to ask law enforcment to make any more cuts.

“You can only cut law enforcement so much,’’ he said.

South River Supervisor David Beyeler said he would prefer the affected departments that also include the commonwealth’s attorney, treasurer’s and commissioner of the revenue, make the cuts sent down by the state.

“The state is short of funds,’’ said Beyeler, who noted that the General Assembly deferred full payments on the Virginia Retirement System to balance the recent state budget.

Beverley Manor Supervisor and Board Vice Chairman Jeremy Shifflett said he preferred to see money go to help law enforcement.

“You can’t ask the sheriff’s department to do any more,’’ Shifflett said. “These are unprecedented times. You can use the money for the rec center or you can use the money for core services.”

Supervisors are tentatively set to approve the 2010-11 budget on April 28.