Spring Flings with Budget

It’s budget time in Virginia where state government, counties, towns and cities run on a fiscal year of July 1-June 30 per Virginia Code.

Each locality must adopt a budget and adjust tax rates by June 30. Localities that run a school division, adopt the school budget portion by May 15, with some exceptions to this rule. Check out this guide to adopting a budget and setting taxes from the
Virginia Municipal League

Our VA state budget

The Commonwealth Institute’s Status Report What’s Happening with Virginia’s Budget (March 15, 2023) explains why right now, we have a ‘skinny’ stop-gap budget. Find out why!

James City County

The James City County Board of Supervisors released the Fiscal Year 2024 Proposed Budget. Available here. Budget highlights include:

• No tax rate change. The real estate tax rate is recommended to remain at 83 cents per $100 valuation. The personal property tax rate is recommended to remain at $4 per $100 valuation with an assessment ratio of 100%.
• Fee increases are proposed for the County’s Recreation Center, before and after-school programs, as well as ambulance transport services, which are impacted by Medicare rates.
• Increase in the transfer to Capital Projects and Tourism Investment Funds based on projected increases in sales and occupancy taxes that support these funds.
• Increases in the contributions to outside entities and the Williamsburg Regional Library.
• Funding for personnel costs for reclassification of existing positions, market reviews, and related fringe benefit cost increases.
• Increase to contingency set aside for unforeseen operational needs, including WJCC School’s to be determined once the state’s budget is approved.
• An increase in the county’s operating contribution to the WJCC School Division of $4 million.

You can voice your opinions on the budget:

• April 6 at 4 p.m. Budget Community Meeting - 101 Mounts Bay Road, Building F and streamed live on Facebook, the website, YouTube and Cox Cable channel 88. Send questions and comments before the meeting to community.meetings@jamescitycountyva.gov.
• April 11 at 5 p.m. Public hearing on Proposed Budget during the Board of Supervisors meeting. (101 Mounts Bay Road, Building F)
• Send input to board@jamescitycountyva.gov or call 757-253-6609 and leave a message.

Williamsburg City

The City released its Fiscal Year 2024 Proposed Budget. Available here.

The city manager worked closely with the City Council and City staff to construct the FY24 budget proposal, which recommends no change to the real estate tax rate of 62 cents per $100 of assessed value.

City staff identified three budget priorities:

1. Establish the necessary funding to build a new downtown library.
2. Improve the benefits package the City offers to staff, while they are employed and after.
3. Eliminate the City’s reliance on U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funds – and the associated limitations – for our public housing sites.
   

You can voice your opinion on the proposed budget:

• City Council Work Session: 4 p.m. Monday, April 10, Stryker Center
• City Council Meeting: 2 p.m. Thursday, April 13, Stryker Center
• Questions: email: City Manager Andrew O. Trivette at citymanager@williamsburgva.gov and/or to  Council members at council@williamsburgva.gov.

York County

York County released the FY 2024 Proposed Budget.
Available here.

Voice your opinion on the proposed budget at:

• Public Hearing  Tuesday, April 18 at 7 pm. In the Board Room, York Hall, 301 Main St, East Room.
• Note: The meeting will be aired live on WYCG-TV Cox Cable Channel 46, Verizon Channel 38, and on-line at www.yorkcounty.gov/tv
• Questions: Email bos@yorkcounty.gov or Call 757-890-3220
• See public notice here.here.