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Spotsylvania County supervisors voted yesterday to advertise a real-estate tax rate of 96 cents--5 cents less than the current levy but one that would raise the tax bills of most homeowners by almost 13 percent.
Though the board unanimously approved the advertised rate, most said they hope to lower it. Supervisor Emmitt Marshall noted that the board can formally approve a lower rate than advertised, but not a higher one.
"I'm in favor of a rate much lower than that," Supervisor T.C. Waddy said.
The board has scheduled a public hearing on the proposed fiscal 2005 budget and the tax rate for 7:30 p.m. March 25 at Courtland High School. It hopes to approve the budget and tax rate April 13.
The tax rate is a sensitive issue this year because of a property reassessment that saw residential values jump almost 20 percent, not including new construction.
To keep tax bills the same as last year, the board would have to drop the current rate of $1.01 per $100 of assessed value to 85 cents. With a rate of 96 cents, tax bills would increase an average of almost 13 percent.
"I am completely in favor of an 85-cent tax rate as equalization would be," Supervisor Chris Yakabouski said. "I hope we can get to that."
Supervisor Vince Onorato responded by saying, "We'll start at 96 and move toward 85 cents."
None of the supervisors expressed eagerness for 96 cents as the final rate. Supervisor Gary Jackson noted the public hearing will play a vital role in the process.
The board also heard budget requests from the county's constitutional officers.
Commonwealth's Attorney Bill Neely pleaded for an additional assistant prosecutor, telling the board his office had seen a 65 percent increase in its felony caseload since he added his last assistant five years ago.
The position is not included in the budget proposed by County Administrator Randy Wheeler. Neely said he believes one reason was because of space considerations, which he said he could alleviate by putting two people in one office.
Sheriff Howard Smith renewed his plea for an additional 20 positions--10 more than in Wheeler's recommended budget. Smith told the board that if he gets only 10 new hires, response times will drop and the county won't have an increase in deputies on patrol.
The first 10 positions would be for five deputies, four detectives and a training officer. But none of the five deputies would be on the street, Smith said.
One would be assigned to the county's new high school and the others would replace four people being assigned to a new street-crimes unit.
Circuit Judge William Ledbetter visited board chambers yesterday in support of Circuit Court Clerk Paul Metzger, who pleaded his case for two clerks--one each for land records and criminal cases. Metzger presented statistics showing that land recordings increased 87 percent over the past four years while court cases jumped 46 percent.
Wheeler recommended one new clerk and additional part-time hours in the budget he submitted to the board Feb. 24.
To reach PAMELA GOULD: 540/657-9101 pgould@freelancestar.com