GOOD EVENING. IT'S NOW 6 P.M.. TODAY IS MARCH THE 13TH OF 2025.
[A. CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:05]
IT IS NOW TIME FOR OUR BUDGET WORK SESSION FOR TONIGHT, AND WE'LL START WITH A ROLL CALL FROM MRS. KNOTT. MR. BROWN HERE. MRS. WAYMACK YES, HERE.MR. COX HERE, MR. PUGH HERE, MR. WEBB HERE. NEXT WE'LL HAVE THE BOARD'S INVOCATION DONE BY MRS. WAYMACK, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE THAT WILL BE DONE BY MR. PUGH. DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, THANK YOU FOR OUR MANY BLESSINGS.
FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR ANOTHER DAY IN THIS WORLD.
WE ASK YOU TO BLESS OUR COUNTRY, OUR COUNTY, OUR STATE.
HELP US TO BE MINDFUL OF THE NEEDS OF OTHERS, DEAR LORD.
BE WITH THIS BOARD AND GUIDE US IN OUR JOURNEY.
IN YOUR HOLY NAME WE PRAY. AMEN. AMEN. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU TO MRS. WAYMACK FOR THE BOARD'S INVOCATION AND THANK YOU TO MR. PUGH FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. NEXT IS THE ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA.
AT THIS TIME, I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA. SECOND.
IT'S BEEN PROPERLY MOVED BY MR. PUGH, AND SECOND, BY MR. COX THAT WE WOULD APPROVE OR ADOPT THE AGENDA AS SO PRESENTED.
YOU'VE HEARD THE MOTION. ARE YOU READY? ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? MISS KNOTT, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? MRS. WAYMACK. YES. MR. COX. YES. MR. PUGH. YES. MR. WEBB. YES. MR. BROWN. YES. WE'LL NOW MOVE INTO THE WORK SESSION, AND TONIGHT, I BELIEVE, WILL BE LED BY MRS.
[B. WORK SESSION]
DREWRY. YES, SIR. GOOD EVENING, MR. CHAIRMAN, BOARD MEMBERS AND MR. STOKE AND MISS ERARD. I HAVE A BRIEF POWERPOINT WHERE I WILL GO THROUGH A FEW ITEMS. THIS THESE FIRST COUPLE OF SLIDES ARE A REPEAT FROM THE LAST SEVERAL BUDGET WORK SESSIONS TO DISCUSS THE INCREASE IN REAL ESTATE TAX REVENUE DUE TO HIGHER REASSESSED VALUES.THE BOARD HAS SEEN THIS INFORMATION AT THE LAST FEW WORK SESSIONS, BUT AGAIN, THE GROWTH EXCLUDING NEW CONSTRUCTION, NEW PARCELS AND DISCOVERY OR CHANGES TO PARCELS WAS ABOUT $502,700,000, OR ABOUT 12.5%. THE EQUALIZATION RATE IS A $0.09 REDUCTION, DOWN TO $0.73 FOR A 12.3% INCREASE IN THE EFFECTIVE TAX RATE. THE VALUE OF A PENNY FOR FY 2026, REGARDLESS OF THE TAX RATE, WILL BE $420,000 COMPARED TO $372,000 IN THIS FISCAL YEAR.
THE ADOPTED CURRENT YEAR REAL PROPERTY BUDGET IS $30,750,000.
THE INTRODUCED BUDGET INCLUDED LEAVING THE TAX RATE AT $0.82 AND NOT EQUALIZING, AND REAL PROPERTY TAX REVENUE CURRENT REVENUE WOULD INCREASE BY $4.2 MILLION TO $34,950,000.
WE PROVIDED YOU WITH AN IMPACT OF DROPPING THE TAX RATE BY A PENNY PER PENNY, DOWN TO THE EQUALIZATION RATE AND THE REAL ESTATE TAX RATE IMPACTS NOT ONLY THE REAL ESTATE TAX REVENUE, BUT IMPACTS PUBLIC SERVICE TAX REVENUE AND MOBILE HOME TAX REVENUE. REAL ESTATE TAX REVENUE IS SHARED WITH THE PUBLIC SCHOOL DIVISION.
SO AGAIN, THE INTRODUCED BUDGET DID CALL FOR LEAVING THE TAX RATE AT $0.82 TO ADDRESS MAJOR PRIORITIES THAT INCLUDE PROVIDING AN INCREASE TO THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM FOR THEIR OPERATING AND TEXTBOOK FUNDS OF $1.2 MILLION.
IT ALSO INCLUDED STEP INCREASE ALONG WITH MARKET ADJUSTMENTS FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, POLICE AND FIRE SPECIFICALLY AND COST OF LIVING SCALE ADJUSTMENTS FOR NON PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEES, AND TO PROVIDE OUR STATE SUPPORTED LOCAL EMPLOYEES WITH THE MANDATED STATE PAY INCREASE OF 3% ON THEIR STATE SALARY. THOSE EMPLOYEES WOULD GET THE HIGHER OF THE STATE MANDATED INCREASE OR APPROPRIATE PLACEMENT ON THEIR STEP
[00:05:01]
ON THE ADJUSTED SCALES. IT ALSO CALLED OR INCLUDED THE ADDITION OF 16.5 EMPLOYEES, 11 WITHIN FIRE AND EMS, ONE WITHIN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CODE COMPLIANCE, ONE IN THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, AND ONE KENNEL ATTENDANT IN THE ANIMAL SERVICES UNIT, AND CONVERTING A CURRENT PART TIME COUNTY ATTORNEY TO FULL TIME.ADDITIONALLY, IT WAS INCLUDED TO ADD A REGIONAL STAFF ATTORNEY FOR THE SIXTH CIRCUIT, CONVERTING A CURRENT LAW CLERK, FOR WHICH HOPEWELL IS THE FISCAL AGENT TO A STAFF ATTORNEY WHERE PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY WOULD BECOME THE FISCAL AGENT.
THOSE UPDATES ARE REQUIRED EVERY FIVE YEARS BY THE CODE OF VIRGINIA.
IT ALSO INCLUDED PUBLIC SAFETY, RADIO MAINTENANCE, ANNUAL CONTRACT AND OTHER INFLATIONARY INCREASES AND INCREASES IN OUR CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS. SO LATER ON THIS EVENING, WE WILL BE REQUESTING FROM THE BOARD AUTHORITY TO ADVERTISE AN EFFECTIVE TAX INCREASE DUE TO HIGHER ASSESSED VALUES, NOT EQUALIZING, AND THE AUTHORITY TO ADVERTISE ALL THE TAX RATES FOR 25-26.
SO I WANTED TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE PRETTY MUCH TO TELL YOU THERE IS NO UPDATE THIS EVENING IN OUR LOCAL REVENUES AND OR REVENUES THAT ARE COMMUNICATED BY STATE OFFICES. THE COMMISSIONER OF REVENUE IS STILL IN THE PROCESS OF PREPARING PRELIMINARY PROOF BOOK FOR PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES. SHE HOPES TO HAVE A PRELIMINARY PROOF COMPLETED BY TOMORROW CLOSE OF BUSINESS.
BUT DID SAY THAT BUSINESS FURNITURE AND FIXTURES IS STILL ONGOING.
SO WE PROBABLY WOULD NOT HAVE THE COMPLETE ASSESSED VALUES FOR BFF.
THAT WAS THE ONLY AREA OR SECTION OF PERSONAL PROPERTY THAT HAD GROWTH BETWEEN THE SPRING OF 23 AND THE SPRING OF 24, WHICH I WILL REVIEW IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF SLIDES.
AGAIN, WE ARE STILL AWAITING COMPLETION OF THE PRELIMINARY BOOK BUT FINAL BOOK TO FINAL BOOK ASSESSED VALUES THOSE AREAS SHADED IN GREEN OR THOSE CATEGORIES SHADED IN GREEN ARE INCLUDED IN PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX REVENUE, NET OF THE STATE PPTRA SUPPLEMENT.
AND AGAIN, THE ONLY ASSESSED VALUE THAT HAD GROWTH WAS BUSINESS FURNITURE AND FIXTURES.
AND THEN OF COURSE, DISABLED VETERANS, WHICH IS EXEMPT AND TAXED AT A LOWER RATE.
WE DO HAVE SOME RELIEF AND SOME ALLOWANCE FOR DOUBTFUL ACCOUNTS THAT WE FACTOR IN.
SO WE ARE TRYING TO PREDICT WHAT THE BUDGET IS FOR A BOOK THAT WILL BE COMPLETED NEXT SPRING.
WE USE CURRENT YEAR BOOK TO MAKE BUDGET PROJECTIONS FOR NEXT SPRING.
REAL ESTATE IS DIFFERENT. THE VALUES FROM THE 2025 REASSESSMENT ARE FOR FY 26, AND THOSE BILLS WILL BE DUE NEXT DECEMBER, DECEMBER OF 2025 AND JUNE OF 2026.
SO IT IS PERSONAL PROPERTY AND REAL PROPERTY BOOK AND ASSESSMENT ARE DIFFERENT.
SO WE JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE THIS AS AN OVERVIEW, BUT THERE IS NO CURRENT INFORMATION AVAILABLE ON PROJECTED PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES. BPOL, BUSINESS AND OCCUPATIONAL PROFESSIONAL LICENSES.
I PULLED DOWN AN UPDATE JUST THIS MORNING. WE ARE A DAY BEHIND IN POSTING OUR ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE BATCHES, SO THE REVENUES THAT WERE COLLECTED THAT HIT IN THE TREASURER'S OFFICE YESTERDAY WERE POSTED TODAY.
SO WE THOSE POLL TAXES ARE DUE MARCH 1ST. WE ARE ACTUALLY $253,000 SHORT FROM WHAT WE HAVE BUDGETED THIS YEAR. AND WE WERE RECOMMENDING ARE RECOMMENDING AN INCREASE IN BUDGETED DOLLARS FOR FY 26.
THOSE REVENUES WILL ACTUALLY CONTINUE TO COME IN THROUGH THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
AND THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, THE COMMISSIONER OF REVENUE WILL REACH OUT TO THOSE BUSINESSES WHO HAVE NOT PAID BY THE END OF THIS MONTH ON APRIL 1ST. SO AGAIN, I DO NOT HAVE AN UPDATE THIS EVENING ON ANY OPPORTUNITY TO INCREASE BPOL TAX.
[00:10:07]
SALES TAX, SIMILAR STORY. WE HAVE POSTED COLLECTIONS OF COURSE THROUGH FEBRUARY.STATE SALES TAX FOR MARCH HAS NOT COME IN YET, BUT WE ARE AGAIN TRENDING ALMOST IDENTICAL TO FY 2023 WHEN WE COLLECTED JUST OVER $4.6 MILLION. THAT IS WHERE THE BUDGET SITS TODAY, AND THAT IS WHAT WE RECOMMENDED FOR FY 26.
AGAIN, IT IS DOWN A LITTLE BIT FROM WHERE WE WERE THIS SAME TIME LAST YEAR.
I BELIEVE MRS. ROUSEY IS GOING TO REACH OUT TO THE SCC TOMORROW.
WE DO KNOW THAT THERE IS AN ERROR WITH ONE PUBLIC SERVICE CORPORATION THAT THAT NEEDS ADJUSTING, BUT WE HAD NOT COLLECTED HALF OF WHAT WE BUDGETED THIS YEAR AS THE EXPECTATION WOULD BE HALF OF THAT IS DUE IN DECEMBER, THE OTHER HALF IN JUNE, AND IT ACTUALLY STRADDLES TWO FISCAL YEARS, WHICH MAKES IT A LITTLE CHALLENGING TO BUDGET.
JUST TO GIVE THE BOARD AN UPDATE ON STATE REVENUE PROJECTIONS FOR FY 2026.
YOU KNOW, THE YEAR THAT STARTS IN JULY COUNTY STATE REVENUES.
WE CURRENTLY DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY UPDATES. WE HAVE SOME PRELIMINARY FIGURES, BUT THE GOVERNOR IS STILL IN THE SIGN/ VETO SESSION. AND THEN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY'S RECONVENE SESSION STARTS ON APRIL 2ND.
SOCIAL SERVICES HAS NOT MADE ANY DRAFT COMMUNICATIONS YET.
THEY TYPICALLY DO A DRAFT IN APRIL AND FINALIZE IN MAY.
WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY INFORMATION FROM DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE SERVICES ON HOUSE BILL 599, REVENUE PROJECTIONS. THEY TYPICALLY COME LATE MAY AND OR JUNE.
THE COMPENSATION BOARD DID SEND OUT INFORMATION, PRELIMINARY INFORMATION RELATED TO BUDGET ESTIMATES, TO CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING THEY DON'T FINALIZE UNTIL MAY 1ST, TYPICALLY.
BUT WE DO HAVE SOME PRELIMINARY NUMBERS AND A LITTLE BIT OF CONFUSION ON A BONUS FROM FY 2025 REVENUES. BUT WHAT I'LL TALK ABOUT THAT IN A LATER SLIDE.
WE ALSO TYPICALLY DO NOT GET INFORMATION FROM COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS UNTIL AFTER JULY 1ST.
AND OR HE SIGNS THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY'S APPROVED BUDGET AND FOR THEIR RECONVENED SESSION.
THEY ARE ANTICIPATING ADDITIONAL REVENUES, I BELIEVE $1.8 MILLION OR A LITTLE MORE IN STATE REVENUES OVER AND ABOVE WHAT WE INCLUDED IN THE INTRODUCED BUDGET. SO DR. LYLE'S BUDGET PRESENTATION ASKED THE COUNTY FOR $2.17 MILLION MORE THAN WHAT WE INCLUDED. SO THERE IS CURRENTLY A GAP, AND HE IS HOPING TO USE THAT ADDED STATE REVENUE TO HELP FILL THAT GAP.
BUT WE WILL HAVE TO INCORPORATE ANY INCREASED STATE REVENUE FOR SCHOOLS INTO OUR BUDGET PRIOR TO ADOPTION. WE TYPICALLY GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADJUST FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD TO ADOPT THE SCHOOL BOARD'S BUDGET AND TRANSMIT IT OVER PRIOR TO US ADOPTING OUR BUDGET, WHICH INCLUDES THEIR BUDGET.
YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ON THAT OR ANY ANY QUESTIONS FROM ANY BOARD MEMBERS? I'M GOOD. GO AHEAD MRS. DREWRY. OKAY, SO JUST TO REMIND THE BOARD OF UPCOMING WORK SESSIONS, BEFORE I TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT 20 FY 2025 ITEMS WE DO HAVE A WORK SESSION SCHEDULED FOR MARCH 26TH.
[00:15:02]
NEEDED, AND THEN MAYBE APRIL 15TH WOULD BE A BETTER OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE BETTER NUMBERS FOR YOU.BUT BUT WE WILL EVALUATE THAT AS THE TIME DRAWS CLOSER.
OKAY. THE THE OF WE ARE ASKING THIS EVENING SO, SO BEFORE WE START ON THE AUTHORITY TO ADVERTISE THE TAX RATE INFORMATION, I DID WANT TO MAKE YOU AWARE. SO WE'RE GOING TO TAKE OFF OUR HATS TALKING ABOUT NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET.
AND WE'RE GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THINGS THAT ARE SWIRLING FOR THIS YEAR BEFORE JUNE 30TH.
WE'RE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT ADOPTING THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR'S BUDGET, BUT THERE ARE ALSO A LOT OF THINGS HAPPENING OR THAT DID HAPPEN WITH GENERAL ASSEMBLY ACTIONS AT THE STATE LEVEL FOR THIS YEAR THAT WE ARE IN NOW, THAT ENDS JUNE 30TH.
SO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY DID APPROVE A ONE TIME, 1.5% BONUS FOR STATE SUPPORTED LOCAL EMPLOYEES AND FOR SCHOOL SOQ FUNDED EMPLOYEES.
I BELIEVE THEIRS IS A FLAT DOLLAR AMOUNT, BUT THAT WOULD IMPACT OUR DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES, OUR COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS, OR RIVERSIDE CRIMINAL JUSTICE AGENCY, OUR REGISTRAR AND THREE ELECTORAL BOARD MEMBERS, AS WELL AS OUR CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS AND THEIR COMP BOARD FUNDED EMPLOYEES.
SO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY IS USING, I GUESS, SOME CURRENT YEAR EXCESSES TO FUND THAT BONUS, BUT THE BUDGET BILL, AS IT READS, IS EXTREMELY CONFUSING.
SO WE ARE SEEKING CLARIFICATION FROM THE COMP BOARD AND OTHER FUNDING AGENCIES.
BUT BUT IF THE BONUS DOES HAVE TO BE AMENDED TO THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, WE WILL NEED AN APPROPRIATION OF THOSE INCREASED STATE FUNDS AND ACTION FROM THE BOARD AUTHORIZING THOSE BONUSES.
SO THE TIMING IS TO BE DETERMINED BECAUSE OF THE CONFUSING LANGUAGE IN THE BILL.
AND WE ARE ALSO SEEKING CLARIFICATION ON HOW TO CALCULATE THAT 1.5% BONUS.
THE COMP BOARD'S MEMO FROM FRIDAY SAID THAT IT WOULD BE BASED ON THIS YEAR'S SALARY PRIOR TO ADDING THE MANDATED 3% ON JULY 1ST. BUT THE BUDGET BILL READS THAT IT WILL BE CALCULATED ON THEIR JULY 1ST SALARY.
SO AGAIN, WE'RE SEEKING CLARIFICATIONS. I ACTUALLY REACHED OUT TO A [INAUDIBLE] REP TODAY TO SEE IF SHE COULD REACH OUT TO HER CONTACTS AND ASK THEM TO PLEASE CLARIFY THE LANGUAGE IN THE BUDGET BILL PRIOR TO ADOPTING THE BILL.
WE GET INFORMATION FROM THE COMP BOARD, FROM SOCIAL SERVICES, FROM COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS, AND THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF ELECTIONS. AND IF IT'S LEFT TO THE INTERPRETATION OF THOSE FOUR AGENCIES AND THEIR INTERPRETATIONS ARE DIFFERENT, WE WE HAVE A BIT OF A MESS IN HOW WE DO IT, WHEN WE WOULD PAY THE BONUS AND AND HOW TO CALCULATE IT.
SO AGAIN, THAT IS FOR THE YEAR THAT ENDS ON JUNE 30TH.
THE COMP BOARD ACTUALLY THREW IT INTO FY 26 MONEY, WHICH IS ANOTHER WRINKLE SO.
SO STAY TUNED. AS WE LEARN MORE, I'LL COMMUNICATE MORE, BUT LOTS OF CONFUSION.
AND THEN THE SCHOOL DIVISION. SO AGAIN, THEY ARE ALSO ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE ADDITIONAL STATE FUNDING THIS YEAR BEFORE JUNE 30TH TO PROVIDE A ONE TIME BONUS.
I BELIEVE THEIRS WAS A DOLLAR AMOUNT FOR STATE SOQ FUNDED SCHOOL EMPLOYEES.
SO THEIR INFORMATION SAYS THAT THAT BONUS HAS TO BE PROVIDED BY JUNE 15TH.
I BELIEVE MR. SORENSEN AND MISS GARRETT, THE FINANCE DIRECTOR FOR THE SCHOOLS AND THE INTERIM CFO ARE WORKING ON THE TIMING. BUT OF COURSE, THEY'RE WAITING FOR FINAL BUDGET INFORMATION EVEN FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR.
[00:20:03]
SO THERE ARE ALSO, OF COURSE, SOME OTHER SCHOOL REQUESTS THAT YOU ARE CONSIDERING, HAVE SEEN A COUPLE OF THEM AND THEN ONE THAT IS PROBABLY IN THE WORKS. SO AGAIN, THE SCHOOL CARRYOVER REQUEST, THIS WAS THE AMOUNT OF FUND BALANCE OR A PIECE OF IT THAT THEY REVERTED TO FUND BALANCE AT THE END OF 2024.OF COURSE, THAT WAS ORIGINALLY ON YOUR FEBRUARY 25TH AGENDA, BUT WAS MOVED TO APRIL 8TH.
THEY HAD ALSO ASKED TO MOVE ABOUT $88,000 AROUND FOR ALREADY APPROPRIATED CIP DOLLARS BETWEEN PROJECTS TO ROOFING. SO AGAIN, THAT WAS MOVED FROM FEBRUARY 25TH TO APRIL 8TH.
I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THEY WILL BE COMING TO THE BOARD TO MOVE OR MAKE TRANSFERS, REQUESTS TO MAKE TRANSFERS BETWEEN THEIR CATEGORIES. THOSE STATE DEFINED CATEGORIES.
THAT IS HOW THE BOARD HAS BEEN APPROPRIATING THE SCHOOL BUDGET FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF FISCAL YEARS, AND THEY WILL NEED TO MOVE FUNDS BETWEEN CATEGORIES, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, TO COVER SOME UTILITY COSTS AND FUEL COSTS IN PARTICULAR.
SO I WANTED TO MAKE MENTION OF THOSE THINGS. BUT AGAIN, THAT IS FOR THIS BUDGET YEAR.
SO YOU WILL SEE A LOT ON CURRENT YEAR BUDGET OR A LOT OF ACTIONS BEING REQUESTED FOR CURRENT YEAR INITIATIVES, IN ADDITION TO PASSING YOUR NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? ANY QUESTIONS FROM ANYONE? I GUESS, MR. COX GO AHEAD. MISS DREWRY, SO THE $2.82 MILLION THAT THE SCHOOLS ARE ASKING FOR WAS LEFT OVER FROM 2014, CORRECT? YES, SIR. SO THEY WANT TO MOVE THAT INTO THE CATEGORY TO TAKE CARE OF THE WISH LIST THEY BOUGHT OVER? THAT LIST OF CAPITAL, YES. SO THEY MISSED THEIR BUDGET MARK ROUGHLY $2 MILLION.
A LITTLE OVER $3. OKAY. THEY DID CARRY OVER A LARGE PURCHASE ORDER FOR A HIGH SCHOOL HVAC PROJECT OF ABOUT $900 AND SOME THOUSAND. SO AND THEN I HEAR THIS YEAR, THEY'RE PROBABLY AROUND $3 MILLION GOING TO BE CARRIED OVER AGAIN.
SO THAT'S MY ISSUE THAT I HAVE WITH GIVING THEM THE ADDITIONAL FUNDING THEY REQUEST EACH YEAR.
SO I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY THAT. THANK YOU. YES, SIR.
ANYONE ELSE? OKAY. GO AHEAD, MISS DREWRY. ALL RIGHT, SO IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS ON BUDGET ITEMS, THERE ARE TWO ACTION ITEMS ON THE AGENDA. I'M HAPPY TO PULL THOSE UP IN BOARD DOCS AS WE GO THROUGH THEM.
LET ME DO THAT. OKAY. SO SO AS YOU ALL ARE AWARE WE ARE REQUESTING AUTHORITY TO ADVERTISE AN EFFECTIVE TAX INCREASE.
MR. STOKE, OF COURSE, PRESENTED THE INTRODUCED BUDGET TWO NIGHTS AGO WITH LEAVING THE TAX RATE AT $0.82 NOT EQUALIZING TO THE $0.73. AND IN ORDER TO NOT EQUALIZE, THE BOARD DOES HAVE TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING WHERE YOU ARE, IN ESSENCE APPROVING AN EFFECTIVE TAX INCREASE FROM HIGHER ASSESSED VALUES. SO WHENEVER THAT GROWTH IS MORE THAN 1%, YOU DO HAVE TO ADVERTISE AND HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THAT EFFECTIVE TAX INCREASE. AND MISS ERARD AND I WHEN WE REVIEWED THE CODE SECTION IT HAS BEEN CHANGED.
THEY ACTUALLY RELAXED THE NUMBER OF DAYS PRIOR TO YOUR PUBLIC HEARING.
IT WENT DOWN FROM 30 TO 7, WHICH KIND OF SHOCKED BOTH OF US THAT THAT CHANGE WAS MADE.
BUT WE ARE ASKING AUTHORITY TO ADVERTISE THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THAT EFFECTIVE TAX INCREASE AND HOLD THAT PUBLIC HEARING ON APRIL 22ND AS IT WAS APPROVED IN YOUR BUDGET AND YOUR BOARD MEETING SCHEDULE AND BUDGET CALENDAR FOR 2025.
[00:25:05]
IN YOUR PACKET. WE ARE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.SO ANY QUESTIONS FROM ANY BOARD MEMBERS. AS YOU KNOW, WE WE TYPICALLY ADVERTISE AT THE $0.82 AND THEN IF AS WE WORK THROUGH THE BUDGET WORK SESSIONS, IF THERE'S OTHER FUNDING THAT COMES IN OR IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO TO LOWER THAT, WE COULD. BUT THE KEY IS WE HAVE TO ADVERTISE.
YOU CAN'T GO HIGHER THAN WHAT YOU ADVERTISE. SO IF WE ADVERTISE IT, YOU KNOW, WITHOUT RE ADVERTISING, WITHOUT RE ADVERTISING. SO IF WE ADVERTISE $0.80, WE'RE LOCKED INTO $0.80 WE CAN'T GO UP IF WE DO $0.80.
SO ANY QUESTIONS FROM ANY BOARD MEMBERS ON THAT? IF NOT, I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO AUTHORIZE THIS TO GO TO AUTHORIZE THIS FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING AND THE NOTIFICATIONS TO ALL BE DONE AS ALL PROPERLY.
I SO MOVE WE APPROVE THE RESOLUTION. I'LL SECOND IT.
OKAY. IT'S BEEN A IT'S BEEN MOTION OR IT'S BEEN MOVED BY MRS. WAYMACK AND IT'S BEEN SECONDED BY MR. WEBB THAT WE WOULD APPROVE THE RESOLUTION TO ADVERTISE THE EFFECTIVE TAX RATE AT $0.82, WHICH IS AN EFFECTIVE TAX INCREASE, AND THAT WOULD BE ADVERTISED AND COME BACK TO THE BOARD ON APRIL THE 22ND. YOU'VE HEARD THE MOTION. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? MRS. KNOTT, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? MR. COX, YES. MR. PUGH, YES. MR. WEBB, YES. MR. BROWN, YES. MRS. WAYMACK, YES. MOTION CARRIED.
THANK YOU. MR. CHAIRMAN, THE NEXT ITEM IS TO ADVERTISE THE TAX RATES.
ALL OF OUR TAX RATES FOR 24-25. AGAIN, WE ARE NOT STATUTORILY REQUIRED TO HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING IF WE ARE NOT INCREASING THE RATE.
BUT AS A LONG STANDING PRACTICE, PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY HAS HELD A PUBLIC HEARING ON TAX RATES, EVEN IF THEY ARE LEFT AT THE PRIOR YEAR LEVELS.
SO WE ARE ASKING AUTHORITY TO ADVERTISE A PUBLIC HEARING ON ALL OF THE TAX RATES, AGAIN TO BE HELD ON THAT SAME EVENING, APRIL THE 22ND. THE TAX RATES ARE INCLUDED IN THIS INFORMATION PACKET.
REAL PROPERTY AT $0.82 PER $100 OF ASSESSED VALUE.
PERSONAL PROPERTY AT $3.90 PER $100 OF ASSESSED VALUE.
MACHINERY AND TOOLS AT $1.50 PER $100 OF ASSESSED VALUE.
AND MOBILE HOME AT $0.82 PER $100 OF ASSESSED VALUES.
AGAIN A SEPARATE PUBLIC HEARING ON OUR BUDGET HAS TO BE HELD ON A DIFFERENT NIGHT.
THERE IS A DRAFT TAX ADVERTISEMENT IN YOUR PACKET, WHICH IS THIS ITEM, AND THEN A RESOLUTION THAT WOULD AUTHORIZE STAFF TO SEND THAT ADVERTISEMENT TO THE NEWSPAPER. I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
THEY ARE THE SAME AS WHAT THEY ARE CURRENTLY.
AND AGAIN, WE DO THIS CUSTOMARILY EACH YEAR, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE NOT REQUIRED TO BY ANY STATE CODE.
SO AT THIS TIME I'D ENTERTAIN A MOTION PLEASE.
SO MOVED. SECOND. OKAY. IT'S BEEN PROPERLY MOVED BY MR. WEBB AND HAS BEEN SECOND BY MR. PUGH, THAT WE WOULD AUTHORIZE THIS TO STAFF TO ADVERTISE FOR PUBLIC HEARING WITH THIS SCHEDULED FOR THESE TAX RATES, WHICH ARE TECHNICALLY THE SAME RATE, AND WE'RE JUST WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING.
AND IT WOULD COME BACK TO THIS BOARD ON MAY THE 13TH, APRIL 22ND.
OH, I'M SORRY, APRIL 22ND. THE BUDGET PUBLIC HEARING IS MAY 13TH.
THANK YOU. APRIL 22ND. SO YOU'VE HEARD THE MOTION.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? MRS. KNOTT, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? MR. PUGH? YES. MR. WEBB? YES. MR. BROWN? YES.
MRS. WAYMACK? YES. MR. COX? YES. MOTION CARRIED.
THANK YOU. OKAY. I BELIEVE THAT'S ALL RIGHT FOR TONIGHT.
[00:30:05]
SO, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AT THIS TIME, I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT.SO MOVED. SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY MR. PUGH, OH, THAT WE WOULD ADJOURN AT THIS TIME.
MISS KNOTT, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? MR. WEBB? YES. MR. BROWN? YES. MRS. WAYMACK? YES.
MR. COX? WHAT HAPPENS IF I SAY NO? YES. YOU CAN STAY.
MR. PUGH? YES. MOTION CARRIED. WE'RE WE'RE ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.