Goochland supervisors open public hearings on FY26 budget and keep advertised real-estate rate at 53¢

Goochland County Board of Supervisors on April 1 opened public hearings on the county's proposed fiscal year 2026 budget, reviewed staff-proposed amendments and held citizen comment on tax relief and reserve balances. The board did not change the advertised real-estate tax rate, which remains at 53 cents per $100 of assessed value; the board set a final vote on the budget and tax rates for April 15.

The proposed FY26 general fund totals $148,597,906, according to Finance Director Carla Cave. Staff described major increases in general government spending (largely new software and a third county attorney), public safety (additional positions and mandated pay adjustments) and utilities. County staff reported that without adding new-construction revenue, assessed values rose 8.6% year over year; an “effective” rate that would produce the same revenue as last year would be approximately 49 cents, staff said, meaning the advertised rate represents an effective increase in revenue collection.

Why it matters: the budget sets property-tax obligations for homeowners and funds prioritized services including schools, sheriff’s office and fire rescue. Board members said the FY26 packet reflects both locally driven needs and state mandates that affect payroll costs and emergency services.

The draft budget and amendments presented April 1 included: - Total proposed general-fund budget: $148,597,906. - New or reclassified positions and one-time allocations added in amendments: funding for six additional firefighters (the amended package reflects a total public-safety staffing increase and related reclassifications), a residential plans examiner in building inspections, and $300,000 additional support for schools. Staff also proposed an increase to the advanced life support (ALS) stipend for qualifying firefighters from $7,000 to $11,000 to remain regionally competitive. - State-driven payroll items described by staff: a mandated 1.5% employee bonus for state-supported constitutional offices and a separate mandated 6% dispatcher pay increase the county must reflect for those positions; the county presented a uniform 1.5% bonus for all employees in recognition of precedent and fairness across departments.

Public comment and board questions focused on reserves, tax relief and how growth is handled. Resident Todd Kaufman urged the board to explain the county’s surplus cash fund (he said the county’s balance is “approximately $60 million,” with about $30 million unassigned) and offered three options: draw on reserves for the capital improvements program (CIP), increase the assumed real-property growth from 3% to 4% in revenue projections, and conduct department-by-department audits to identify operational savings. Kaufman also urged improved assessor operations and drive-by inspections to keep assessment rolls accurate.

Board members discussed trade-offs: several supervisors said they prefer to preserve reserve levels in order to maintain favorable borrowing terms and to cover an extensive CIP backlog the county faces in coming years. Supervisor discussion noted that holding higher reserves can reduce future bond interest costs; one supervisor estimated that a 1% reduction in interest on a $50 million bond could save the county roughly $6 million over the bond term.

County staff noted other budget drivers: an expanded information-technology portfolio, increased contractual costs, costs tied to utilities and capital project timing that shifts some expenditures between operating and CIP budgets. Staff said the capital program line decreased year over year by roughly $1.7 million (about 23%) in this proposal because some projects moved into operating lines or timing changed.

Process and next steps: the board opened and closed the public comment period on the budget at the April 1 meeting and scheduled the formal vote on the FY26 budget, tax rates and CIP adoption for April 15. Staff will continue to present detail to the board between now and the vote; several supervisors said they remain open to additional information before casting final votes.

Votes at a glance (formal actions recorded during the April 1 meeting): - Proclamation recognizing April as Crime Victims’ Rights Week — outcome: approved (unanimous voice vote). Motion moved from the floor; mover/second not specified on record. (Provenance: transcript entries at 352.615–536.815 and 544.15–549.53.) - Proclamation recognizing April as Hunger Awareness Month — outcome: approved (unanimous voice vote). (Provenance: transcript entries at 2342.765–2466.1401 and 2472.835–2492.6199.) - Approval of minutes (March 4) — outcome: approved (voice vote). (Provenance: transcript entries at 2556.905–2570.3198.) - Consent agenda authorization to allow the county administrator to execute a memorandum of understanding with Calian Hospitality LLC (hotel partnership for temporary housing) — outcome: approved (voice vote). Staff described the arrangement as a negotiated accommodation rate; staff noted they will still compare available government rates when used. (Provenance: transcript entries at 3771.866–3846.435 and 3928.675–3943.45.)

Sources and evidence: the article draws on the board meeting transcript, the finance director’s budget presentation and public comments delivered at the meeting (Carla Cave, Manny Alvarez, Todd Kaufman, and several supervisors). The board will consider final adoption of the FY26 budget and tax rates at its April 15 meeting.

Ending: The board will reconvene for continued budget deliberations and the formal vote on April 15; staff and board members signaled they would accept additional materials and follow-up analyses before that date.