Residents press Goochland supervisors on rising assessments and unchanged tax rate; county and supervisors pledge review

Multiple residents used the town-hall public-comment portion to press county leaders about sharply higher real-estate assessments and the fact that the county has maintained its tax rate, which residents said amounts to a tax increase.

Speakers described personal situations (fixed incomes, large assessment increases) and asked why the county had not lowered its tax rate in response. Supervisors and staff responded in several ways: they said state code requires assessors to analyze recent sales and to keep assessments in line with sales; they noted Goochland’s assessment-to-sales ratio cited in the meeting (presenter said about 97.5%) and explained that the county’s Local Composite Index (LCI) and reassessments affect school and county revenue. Officials acknowledged the timing challenge — the budget must be adopted by April 15 — and said a comprehensive reinspection program or a full reassessment is a systemic, longer-term fix rather than a step that can be executed between the town hall and the budget-adoption date.

One resident alleged the assessor’s office is not performing regular inspections required by professional standards and reported having raised the issue with board members by email; that resident said they had received limited follow-up. Board members and staff said they would review assessment processes and procedures going forward and invited residents to the upcoming budget hearings and conversation with staff.

During the discussion, county officials also described tradeoffs already made in the draft budget: some departments deferred vehicles or other requests so additional funds could be given to the schools. Supervisors reiterated they must balance rising costs for services and matched the county’s fiscal constraints against the need to maintain services and capital plans.