Sharp increases in assessed real estate values mean the Board will be walking a line between meeting the increased funding needs the county faces, and not raising tax rates to a burdensome level.
By Martin Davis
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Tomorrow night’s meeting agenda for the Spotsylvania County Board of Supervisors features a consent agenda loaded with 28 items, and the county administrator’s 2025 recommended budget presentation. Central to that discussion will be the tax rate the county will ultimately propose.
Residents are sure to be paying attention.
Over the past week, they have begun receiving the new assessment values on their homes and businesses, and the spikes have generated considerable discussion in the public square.
The Advance has reached out to the commissioner of the revenue to discuss the assessments, but as of now she has not responded. However, Battlefield Board member Chris Yakabouski tells the Advance that the commissioner informs him that assessed values are up “21% residential, and 8% commercial.”
In the past, the Board has dealt with spikes in real estate value by offering an equalized tax rate, whereby the tax rate is set so that the revenue collected matches, or is close to, the revenue from the previous year.
Yakabouski said he believes the “tax rate will have to be lower in light of the assessments.” But just how low the county will be able to go is the question.
He notes that over the past decade, the county has significantly ramped up its fire and rescue system by taking on 24/7 coverage for professional firefighters, and filling gaps with volunteers when needed. He also notes that the county went to 24/7 advanced life support at every station.
Though a much-needed improvement, it came at a substantial cost.
“In the past [the money to pay for these upgrades] came out of the typical transfer that would have gone for schools,” Yakabouski said. “And now the school system has told us over the past two boards that we need more revenue. So either something has to be cut, or you increase the rate to cover the cost.”
Also pressing on the county is the expenditures on roads. Because there has been no new revenue to pay for the road repairs the county has taken on over the past five years, the funds have also come from the pot of money that would have supported the schools.
The meeting is scheduled to begin at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
