I
t's budget season in Virginia, and Albemarle County is preparing its fiscal plan for the upcoming year. On February 26, County Executive Jeff Richardson presented a proposed $642.4 million budget to the Board of Supervisors, which includes funding for public schools, public safety, staff salaries, parks, and recreation. The budget represents a roughly $200,000 increase over the previous year's budget.

    The county will fund this budget through various revenue sources, including federal and state grants, real property taxes, personal property taxes, food and beverage taxes, and transient occupancy taxes. Richardson has proposed increasing both the real property tax rate by four cents to $0.894 per $100 of value and the personal property tax rate by 32 cents to $4.28 per $100 of value.

    The increased rates will generate more revenue for the county due to rising assessment values. The Board is scheduled to hold public hearings on the proposed budget and tax rates in April, with a final vote expected on May 7. Residents can attend town halls and provide feedback before the decision is made.

    Key dates include:

    * Public hearing on the proposed budget: April 23

    * Public hearing on tax rates: April 30

    * Final vote on appropriating the budget and setting tax rates: May 7

    Residents can also attend town halls to learn more about the proposed budget and provide feedback.