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King George County holds public hearing on $138.5 million FY26 operating budget; no tax-rate changes proposed
Summary
County Administrator presented a $138.46 million FY26 operating budget and recommended keeping existing tax rates; the board held a required public hearing and scheduled final adoption for May 20.
County Administrator Matthew Smolnick presented the King George County proposed FY26 operating budget at the Board of Supervisors meeting on May 6, outlining revenues, expenditures and the calendar for adoption.
Lede: The proposed FY26 operating budget totals $138,458,371 with no changes to tax rates; the Board of Supervisors held a public hearing and will consider budget adoption on May 20, 2025.
Nut graf: The county plans continued support for schools and public safety while holding tax rates steady. The budget process included public notice and work sessions; state law requires the board to hold a public hearing before adoption.
Key details: Smolnick said the FY26 proposal represents roughly a 4.2% increase over the prior year and that the budget does not include the King George Service Authority, which budgets separately. Major allocations in the proposal include $69 million for schools and $20.4 million for public safety. Smolnick presented recommended tax rates to remain unchanged: real estate at $0.68 per $100 valuation, mobile homes $0.68, personal property $3.25 per $100, machinery and tools $2.50 per $100, meals tax at 4%, and transient occupancy tax at 5%.
Smolnick explained the budget timeline: the public hearing on May 6, with a required waiting period before the board may adopt the budget; the formal vote to adopt the operating budget is scheduled for May 20, 2025. He also noted department-level line-item notes were added this year to explain how locally controlled dollars would be spent.
Public comment on the budget came from residents and union leaders. Tristan Beverly (Local 4438) and Ryan McGill urged the board to shield public-safety funding from cuts and suggested raising the meals tax as an alternative revenue source.
What was decided: The board took no vote on adoption at the May 6 meeting; a vote will be held at the May 20 session. No tax-rate changes were proposed in the presented budget.
Ending: The county’s budget documents and line-item explanations are posted on the county website; residents may attend the May 20 meeting or submit comments through the county’s published channels.
