Residents told the Virginia City Council on Oct. 14 that the proposed property-tax levy increase for 2026 is unaffordable, describing recent sharp tax increases and urging immediate, deeper spending cuts.

Why it matters: citizen speakers said last year’s certified property-tax levy and the city’s preliminary levy for 2026 have produced dramatic individual tax bills. Councilors acknowledged the problem and outlined steps — including hiring the financial consultant Baker Tilly and further budget review meetings — to reduce the preliminary levy before the final certification.

What speakers said: at the start of the public forum, Greg Lehi, identified as a resident, told councilors the city’s 2024 certified levy produced "$2,000 to $4,000 increase[s] in property taxes in 1 year" for some homeowners and that the 2026 proposed levy of 22.75% was "unacceptable." He also listed capital purchases and operating costs he said contributed to higher taxes.

John Scooby, a resident since 1989, said he was "scared for the city of Virginia" and urged the council to stop incremental increases and to consider larger, structural changes to the budget.

Council responses and next steps: Mayor Cuppy and several councilors acknowledged the levy is high and said staff and council are working to reduce it. The mayor said the preliminary debt levy had been reduced from 22.75% to about 14.7% during the budget process, and Councilor Paulson said the city has retained Baker Tilly to advise on long-term financial planning and bond/rating issues.

Councilor Motley urged public engagement: "We need you to come here. Your voices need to be heard, and you have to be strong," Motley said, asking residents to attend upcoming budget meetings.

Budget process details: councilors said approximately 81% of some budget categories relate to employee compensation and benefits; councilors emphasized that further reductions may require personnel or capital-equipment adjustments and that the council is reviewing vacancies and prior bond cycles. The council scheduled continued budget review meetings and encouraged public attendance.

Ending: the council did not adopt a final levy on Oct. 14. Councilors asked residents to follow budget meetings and to share information with staff; officials said they will continue to pare the levy before final certification later in the year.