Supervisors continue talk about county buidget

Erin McGrath
Published: April 1, 2008

The Nelson County Board of Supervisors continued to work on the county budget for fiscal year 2009 at their March 27 meeting.

Supervisors decided to raise funding for the Thomas Jefferson Regional Library and JAUNT by four percent, and increased the amount given to Rockfish Community Center, Schuyler Community Center and Gladstone Community center for senior meals by two percent each.

“I think that we can afford,” East District Supervisor Allen Hale said.

After making those changes, the proposed tax rate was raised from $.5519 per $100 of assessed value to $.5523. The current tax rate is $.72 per $100 of assessed value.

Nelson County’s general fund budget for fiscal year 2009 is $29.9 million. Assuming there is no change in the real estate tax, county staff estimated receiving $26.2 million in revenue, leaving the county $3.7 million short.

New revenues generated by real estate tax dollars would be applied to the debt of the courthouse project ($645,302), the school division fund and bus leases ($1.58 million), capitol improvements ($785,815) and other general fund operations ($694,539).

Supervisors put off further funding discussions on the emergency services council, the E-911 programs, the paid EMS funding to include weekend coverage and tourism and advertising funding until their next meeting on April 8.

North District Supervisor Thomas Harvey said he thought the emergency services within the county needed to be audited for further consideration on funding.

A public hearing on the real estate reassessment and the proposed tax rate in Nelson County will be held on April 8 at 7:30 p.m. in the Nelson County Middle School Auditorium.