New Kent supervisors to advertise 84-cent rate, but no clearcut decision to maintain it

Even though New Kent supervisors are electing to advertise an 84-cent real estate tax rate for a scheduled public hearing in May, it remains evident that there is still no clear-cut direction the board is leaning towards.

Supervisors returned to the discussion table Wednesday morning as part of a budget work session. Needless to say, more discussion is yet to come after an hour of talks resulted in more questions than answers.

County administrator Rodney Hathaway presented a trimmed version of recommendations to county leaders, narrowing what was once eight options varying between the 83-cent and 84-cent tax rate to four. From those four, he indicated two options that he favored, one at each amount.

Hathaway’s 83-cent tax rate proposal includes the hiring of two firefighters, one cent set aside for school projects ($257,847), schools receiving an additional $400,000, the construction of a new fire station, and a 1.5 percent raise for all county employees as the major points of emphasis. At the 84-cent rate, the differences would be the hiring of five firefighters, and county employees would receive a two percent pay raise.

County supervisors piddled with the numbers with most attempting to balance the needs for services with the ability to keep the tax rate as it stands.

“I think we can work with the 83-cent rate this year and still fulfill our needs,” said District 1 supervisor Thomas Evelyn. “If we removed $20,000 from the schools’ set aside fund and have a fire station in the Roxbury area, we can still hire those additional firefighters.”

Hathaway’s projected cost of $2.2 million for a new fire station is based on a location in the Bottoms Bridge area. According to the county administrator, that cost could drop to $1.8 million if the building is constructed in Roxbury due to land already owned by the county.

“I am looking at public safety and with the summertime coming up, I want to make sure we have adequate staffing in place,” Evelyn added.

District 3 representative Patricia Paige commented that her focus revolves around compensating county employees and has her leaning more towards the 84-cent proposal.

“I think that if we are going to do raises across the board, we should do two-percent raises for all county employees,” she said, pointing to the school system’s budget to offer two-percent raises for their employees and the state’s budget to give a two-percent raise to constitutional officers and other state employees.

However, Paige also voiced her concerns on about the current budget and positions, especially the staffing of a new fire station.

“I understand and I am in favor of the new fire station, but I wonder how much help it will do the county to just hire two new firefighters,” she commented. “I also have received concern from citizens on what we are doing for the future.

“I am concerned for our senior citizens and hope we can look into a future budget to construct a facility for them,” Paige continued. “I’m hoping that we are doing something now to help not only our budget today, but our citizens down the line in 2020.

“We all know that within five years we are going to need a new school and repairs to the other schools and I’d rather be able to tell my constituents that we are going to raise your taxes by a penny now then take a chunk down the line,” she concluded.

District 2 representative Tommy Tiller also sided with the 84-cent rate, saying that it would hardly be noticeable to citizens.

“When you look at people with a $100,000 home, you’re looking at roughly a $10 difference in the bill,” he said. “There are a lot of places that will see maybe a $50 difference and there are a lot of places in New Kent where you can’t go out to eat for less than that.

“I say leave it at the 84-cent rate,” Tiller concluded, mentioning the funds would benefit all departments. “I haven’t heard any complaints about that amount from my constituents.”

District 5 supervisor Ray Davis said he would support a modified version of the 83-cent rate.

“I say we give schools $340,000 and use the other $60,000 for an additional firefighter,” he commented. “The schools are receiving an additional $1.1 million from the state this year.”

Board of supervisors’ chairman Ron Stiers also added his comments and opinion on the proposed increase.

“If you go up to 84 cents, it’s still a tax increase,” he said. “I understand we want to give our county employees raises.

“What if you went up to a county employee and said, ‘We are going to give you a raise but we are going to raise your taxes as well.’ How’s that going to help our employees?”

Supervisors chewed on the rate to advertise, electing to leave it at 84 cents for the public hearing. Once advertised, the rate can’t exceed that amount but can be lowered to 83 cents.