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Stafford County staff proposes 5¢ real‑estate tax increase to close funding gap for schools and services
Summary
County budget staff presented a proposed operating budget that includes a 5¢ increase in the real‑estate tax rate and a package of spending changes to cover school debt, jail costs, health insurance and employee pay. Staff said each penny of real‑estate tax yields about $2.7 million in new revenue.
Stafford County budget staff presented a proposed operating budget at a budget work session that would raise the real‑estate tax rate by 5¢ while holding the fire levy steady, and allocates new revenue largely to school debt service, the regional jail and employee costs.
Andrea Light, presenting the county’s budget placemat, said the proposed tax‑rate increase is 5¢ and that “each penny of real estate is about $2,700,000 in new revenue.” Light also said projected tax relief from state actions reduces what the county collects this year and that keeping the current tax rate would lower fiscal‑year 2026 revenues by an estimated $13.5 million.
The proposed operating changes…
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