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Stafford County's Board of Supervisors began looking at ways to slice the budget for the upcoming fiscal year Date published: 4/16/2008
Stafford County officials are grappling with a leaner budget next year, one that considers a tax rate to keep the average homeowner's tax bill flat, but would result in significant cuts across most county agencies.
The Board of Supervisors proposed a modified, equalized rate of 84 cents per $100 of assessed value and a total budget of $570.7 million. As a result, most county agencies could cut their spending by an additional 6.3 percent. The proposed budget would trim the county's work force, forcing layoffs in four part-time positions. It would also leave 34 full-time positions and eight part-time positions vacant, and there would be no pay increases for county employees. "This is a budget that, we think, has significant impacts on the county and we've done everything we can to mitigate those," said County Administrator Anthony Romanello. But during yesterday's board meeting, supervisors disagreed on whether to give up pay raises they received Jan. 1. Their annual salaries were increased from $20,500 to $25,000 and the chairman's pay rose from $21,000 to $25,900. Supervisors ultimately voted, 4-3, to keep their current salaries, but to suspend an additional 2.5 percent salary increase that was set for 2009. Supervisors Cord Sterling, Mark Dudenhefer and Paul Milde cast the dissenting votes. Officials from various county agencies shared the impact the proposed budget would have on their respect departments. The Parks and Recreation Department could slash $90,000 from its field-improvement program. The reduction leaves $150,000 for field upgrades "but that will be spread very thinly across all of the county parks," Romanello said. The Commonwealth Attorney's Office could reduce its budget by $44,000, which would put off hiring a part-time employee needed to regulate victim and witness contacts with defendants. The courts system currently has no physical space separating victims from defendants on trial. "There have been a number of horror stories that have resulted in a failure to provide that space," said Commonwealth Attorney Daniel Chichester. "I don't want us balancing the budget on the backs of victims." Voter Registrar Sharon Persinger may have to cut the maintenance budget for voting machines that date back to the 1990s.
Date published: 4/16/2008
Dean, I have to disagree with you. The money that will be spent to resurface the soccer fields is needed. Smith Lake Park was a dream come true but the soccer fields are a nightmare. The ground is hard and filled with rocks. Instead of putting down a soil/sewage mixture it appears they simply put in grass plugs. The north field is the worst--it is dangerous to walk across, let alone to run on. I like the idea that a group of farmers could try their hand at working the soil and growing grass for us.
An $84M CIP borrow using lease revenue over GO bonds cost taxpayers an extra $13M ($97M). A county rich in agricultural history can't grow grass & will install $1.8M worth of plastic grass on 2 soccer fields and not allow soccer practice on any other ignored field. Patawomeck Park includes almost $1M in trucked in topsoil and $3000 stainless steel urinals. VRE per rider subsidy has risen 273% in 2 years to $2.66M. We are replacing 1 courtroom with a $35M courthouse. BPOL = + $8M. Need more room !!
Wow, you must have some spread to have that type of tax bill here in Stafford County. If we were talking most areas of the country that would be about right. Here.......that is alot of property.
These supervisors are asking others to cut deep yet are not willing to do so themselves. Just think, if the supervisors gave up their salary for just this one year, the county employees who are losing their jobs could keep them. Personally, I have no problem paying the supervisors--they put in many hours. However, money is required to run a county and money needs to be generated one way or another.
It's amazing to me that my property value goes up, so says the assessment. The tax rate goes up. I will be paying $7560.00 up from $5600.00 a year. The only service I think I receive is the Sheriff department. What a deal ! Is a sales tax increase possible ? I wander where Stafford county supervisors think I will get $2000.00 extra dollars a year. Typical government can't do with less but the people must.
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