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Board holds public hearing on proposed 3¢ real-estate tax increase to support public safety and debt service
Summary
County staff proposed a 3¢ increase in the real-estate tax rate (to $0.62 per $100) that would generate an estimated $1.62 million for FY26 to fund a public-safety pay plan and help cover future debt service for a new elementary school and courthouse; the board held a public hearing and took no action pending budget adoption.
New Kent County officials opened a public hearing on April 14 for the proposed FY26 tax levy that would raise the real-estate tax rate by three cents to $0.62 per $100 of assessed value.
County staff said the proposed 3¢ increase would generate approximately $1.62 million and that the revenues would support two primary items: a proposed public-safety pay plan (estimated cost $1.1 million) and debt service associated with two large capital projects — a new elementary school (to replace New Kent Elementary) and a new courthouse. Staff projected the larger projects would create annual debt-service obligations of $8.7 million; staff said a 2¢ real-estate-rate increase would cover the debt-service need modeled for those projects, and one additional penny would fund the public-safety pay plan, summing to the proposed 3¢.
Officials noted the impact on an average home assessed at about $400,000 would be $120 per year for a 3¢ increase ($40 per penny). The county compared its proposed rate to neighboring and regional jurisdictions and said that even with the proposed increase New Kent would remain near the bottom of local tax rates in the Richmond region.
The board opened the hearing for public comment; Isabelle White Jarvis, 18910 Lynn Lake Road, said her property assessment rose after a reappraisal and urged the board to consider impacts on long-time, low-income and elderly residents who said they worry about affordability and access to local services such as assisted living and nursing homes.
No action was taken at the April 14 hearing. By state law the board must advertise and hold public hearings before adopting tax rates; the board will consider adoption during the May budget work session after further review of revenue estimates from the commissioner of the revenue.
Quotes in this article come from the staff presentation and the public comment recorded during the April 14 hearing.
