Augusta County keeps 2025 tax rates unchanged, increases cigarette tax and extends first-half real estate payment deadline

The Augusta County Board of Supervisors voted to keep the county's 2025 tax rates unchanged, to raise the local cigarette tax by 10 cents per pack, and to extend the first-half real estate tax payment deadline.

Finance staff said the advertised real estate tax rate for 2025 is 52 cents per $100 of assessed value and that personal property tax rates would remain unchanged. "The advertised rate is the highest rate this board can adopt for 2025, but it can be lowered," finance staff told the board.

The board approved a county cigarette tax increase from 30 cents to 40 cents per pack; county officials said the additional revenue from the increase is included in the FY26 budget assumptions. The board also approved a resolution extending the first-half real estate tax deadline from June 5 to June 18 to allow time to process and distribute bills; staff said the extension is authorized by state code and will give taxpayers more time to pay after receiving bills.

Votes and procedure: supervisors moved and seconded the actions; recorded votes were taken for each item. Finance staff noted a prior public hearing on the rates and the cigarette-tax change had been held during the budget public hearings on April 20.

Why it matters: maintaining the advertised tax rates preserves existing property-tax levies for homeowners and businesses; the cigarette-tax increase is a new local revenue source included in the FY26 budget; and the payment-date extension is intended to help taxpayers by allowing additional time before the first installment is due.