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Stafford County supervisors decline to lower personal property tax rate at airport Date published: 10/23/2008
BY BILL FREEHLING A proposal to reduce Stafford County's personal property tax on aircraft was voted down by the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday night. By a 4-3 vote, the Stafford supervisors rejected a measure to reduce the aircraft tax rate from $3 per $100 of assessed value to a 1-cent rate. Supervisors Paul Milde, George Schwartz and Mark Dudenhefer voted for it. Stafford Regional Airport officials believe reducing the tax rate is needed to compete with the airports in Manassas and Leesburg, both of which have the 1-cent rate (based on book value). Earlier this year, Stafford's Economic Development Authority recommended lowering the rate to 1 cent per $100 of assessed value. Proponents think a lower tax rate will draw businesses, aviation-related jobs, corporate hangars and more fuel sales. Supervisors who voted against the tax cut cited noise concerns, the county's budget struggles and worries that the low rate would give the break to individual aircraft owners as well as the businesses they want. Under the current rate, a $15 million business jet being kept in Stafford would be taxed $180,000 a year, while in Manassas or Leesburg it would be $1,500 or less. Proponents of the tax decrease think that's keeping businesses from locating their planes in Stafford. The county takes in about $85,000 a year from tax on aircraft, and half of that comes from the emergency helicopter that's kept at the Stafford airport. Schwartz said the $85,000 is a drop in the bucket in terms of the overall Stafford budget. Stafford Regional Airport Authority Chairman Walt George believes that a tax reduction would create development that would offset the lost revenue. Economic development officials see the airport as a key part of business development along Centreport Parkway. Supervisors Schwartz, Milde and Dudenhefer all pointed out yesterday that $45 million in federal, state and local funds have been invested in the airport. More than that was spent developing Centreport Parkway and the Interstate 95 Exit 136 interchange. The supervisors said the airport needs to be able to compete or the investments will be wasted. Schwartz, who brought up the matter before the board, said he thinks the proposal was rejected mostly due to how it would be perceived.
Just another case of the Dem block of supervisors showing their ignorance once again. We the voters are watching. Someday, we will see a county board where all members vote for what is good for county residents... not for trying to see who they are going to p-off. I think the GOP members should choose the support the wrongiems will pass it just to be contrary. Who is feedig these morons their data anyway? Must be th fuzzy math again...
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