Supervisors approve budget for 2009-10

VERONA — Augusta County Supervisors on Wednesday approved a $73 million budget for 2009-10 that includes a reduced tax rate of 48 cents per $100.

The tax rate decrease is 10 cents less than the previous rate, and was done to offset an increase in real estate values after the recent county reassessment.

Wayne District Supervisor Wendell Coleman said supervisors had kept their word to county residents by lowering the tax rate.

He also said the vote to cut supervisors’ salaries by 5 percent for 2009-2010 was necessary. Supervisors will receive $10,392 next year, a $547 decrease from their current salary.

Still, “No educators got a raise and we had to lay people off,” Coleman said.

Augusta County left 10 positions vacant in next year’s budget and laid off five full-time and five part-time employees.

Augusta County Administrator Pat Coffield said the county’s human resources department is working to help place the affected employees in new jobs.

Overall, Coleman said there had been “yeoman-like” work on the budget by county staff and supervisors.

Riverheads Supervisor Nancy Sorrells thinks the acceptance of a pay cut by supervisors is appropriate “when we are asking others to tighten their belt.”

Sorrells said she is glad to see the difficult past few months of reassessment and budget issues come to an end.

“It’s good to be done,” she said. “Now we can focus on economic development and revenue recovery.”

Those county residents still wishing to appeal their reassessment can do so by contacting the newly appointed board of equalization.

Appointments can be scheduled by calling 245-5647. Hearings with the board of equalization begin May 20 at the Augusta County Government Center in Verona.