BY AMY FLOWERS UMBLE

Based on the budget unveiled last night, Spotsylvania County residents could have a shorter wait when they call 911.

Firefighters would have more training opportunities.

Schools would have a little more money.

Clients would find shorter lines at the Department of Social Services.

And county residents won't have to pay anything extra for the new services. The county real estate tax will remain at 86 cents per $100 assessed value.

"At this rate, we maintain current services and are able to provide certain improvements," County Administrator Doug Barnes said during his presentation of the proposed budget to the Board of Supervisors last night.

At the current rate, the average county homeowner would pay $1,493 in real estate taxes, based on the typical Spotsylvania home valued $173,605.

The budget includes some cuts but no layoffs.

It also includes 16 new full-time general government positions. A handful of those jobs already exist as part-time positions.

The new positions include four firefighters and three bailiffs for the county's new circuit court building.

Also, Barnes suggests five new social services positions to help meet increasing demands on that department.

Some supervisors balked at the additions.

"People are having a hard time; some aren't making it at all," said Supervisor T.C. Waddy. "I think we've got to tighten as much as we can to keep them from going under."

Supervisor Gary Jackson expressed hesitation at the new jobs but recognized that increasing needs in Spotsylvania will require "a delicate balance."

Barnes also proposed an additional $200,000 to train fire and rescue workers. The money should help Spotsylvania reach its new minimum training standards, Barnes said.

The county's finance department crafted the budget to close a $9 million revenue gap predicted late last year. The staff addresses the anticipated budget gap by keeping cuts from the previous budget, using some of the car decal fees to pay general costs, deleting merit raises for county employees and raising the fees to register for Parks and Recreation activities.

Spotsylvania experienced a modest boost in tax revenues. Last year, the board approved what amounted to a 3-cent increase in the real estate rate after a general reassessment.