Board agrees to advertise combined real estate tax rate of $0.68; schedules additional budget review

The Orange County Board of Supervisors agreed to advertise a combined real estate tax rate of $0.68 — composed of 51 cents in the general rate and 17 cents for fire and EMS — as the maximum rate for the reassessment advertisement. The board reached consensus on the ad and on using an alternate schedule that defers some tax-rate decisions to a later meeting to allow additional staff follow-up.

Finance staff presented the proposed budget and three decision points: schedule additional budget work sessions, agree what real estate rate to advertise for the reassessment ad (which begins a 30-day notice period before public hearing), and choose a budget version to advertise. Finance staff recommended advertising 68 cents per $100 of assessed value as the maximum the board could adopt; supervisors were told the board can adopt any lower rate after the public hearing but cannot adopt a higher rate without re-running the ad process.

County staff said the advertisement would appear in the Orange Review and electronically in the Piedmont Journal Recorder; staff also offered additional digital outreach and public notices. Supervisors selected the alternate calendar option so the board will decide the remaining tax rates at a later meeting after an April 8 work session — giving members more time for one-on-one follow-ups with staff. Board consensus authorized staff to publish the budget ad and the reassessment ad on the schedule discussed.

Staff also noted a recent gubernatorial veto of a proposed local option sales tax for school construction, which removes that funding option unless the veto is overridden by the General Assembly.

Board members said the advertised rate provides flexibility should they choose to fund additional priorities before final adoption in May.