Public split at Montgomery County hearing over 1¢ property tax to close school budget gap

CHRISTIANSBURG, Va. — On Thursday, April 10, the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors held public hearings on the advertised property tax rate (advertised at $0.76 per $100 of assessed value) and the county’s advertised fiscal year 2025‑26 budget of $270,810,181, drawing sharply divided public comment about a proposed 1‑cent increase intended to support Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS).

Supporters told supervisors the 1¢ increase is a modest way to shore up teacher pay, special‑education staffing and student services. Opponents said the county should find cuts before raising taxes, and warned the increase would hurt seniors and households on fixed incomes.

Montgomery County resident and parent Anna Vijayan said the increase would offset a projected $2,750,000 shortfall if the board declines to raise the rate; she told the board that even if supervisors approve the 1¢ increase, she understands the district would still face a roughly $1,500,000 gap. “Please approve this 1¢ tax increase so we can provide the basic improvements to our schools,” Vijayan said.

School and educator speakers laid out specific budget items they said depend on additional county revenue. Katie Seideman, president of the Montgomery County Education Association and choir director at Auburn Middle and High Schools, asked that revenue from any rate increase be allocated to MCPS and said it would fund “increased staffing for our understaffed and overworked special ed departments” and coordinator positions to reduce workloads for counselors. Seideman and other speakers cited needs including a proposed 3% salary increase (school administration cost cited in public comment as roughly $4,040,000), funding for school security officers (cited as $280,000), free breakfasts and lunches ($1,240,000 cited by a speaker), and a plan to hire 10 special‑education teachers plus 7.5 paraprofessionals (public comment cited $1,060,000 for those hires).

Supporters emphasized teacher retention and student services. School counselor Barb Holcomb, a long‑time MCPS employee, said teachers are working multiple jobs and that the increase would help retain staff and address food insecurity and special‑education needs. “When we invest in children in our county, you often see that they become teachers in our county,” Holcomb said.

Opponents included residents who said a tax increase would compound existing financial strain. Dean Hogan, who said he is nearly 82 and works to support himself, told the board he cannot afford higher taxes after last year’s increase. “I can't afford to pay no more taxes,” Hogan said. Kim Bowman, who identified home‑ownership and mortgage costs in the county, described median home prices and argued more taxes would further strain household budgets.

Speakers also raised governance and spending concerns. Multiple residents questioned recent county property purchases and renovation costs, including a near‑$1,000,000 building purchase detailed in public comment, arguing the board should prioritize spending changes over new taxes. Bob Beard, a Christiansburg resident, suggested citizens who want more school funding should donate directly rather than raise a county‑wide tax.

Board action at the meeting was limited to procedure: supervisors approved one formal motion to allow Supervisor Anthony Grafsky to participate remotely under the Code of Virginia citing remote‑participation authority; the public hearings on the tax rate and budget were informational only and no final budget or tax‑rate vote was taken Thursday. The board scheduled a work session on the budget for April 14 and a special meeting to vote on the tax rate and budget on April 21 at 6:30 p.m.

Why it matters: Montgomery County’s schools cited concrete staffing and service gaps in the FY 2025‑26 budget proposal; the decision on whether to raise the property tax rate by 1¢ will determine whether the county can fund those increases in full or must make cuts. The board’s April 21 vote will decide the advertised rate and the final allocation to MCPS.