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Buckingham supervisors direct staff to draft ordinance change, seek refunds after farmers complain about new farm‑use placard bills
Summary
After multiple public comments from farmers and the Buckingham Farm Bureau, the county board voted to ask staff to draft an ordinance to restore an exemption for farm‑use vehicles and pursue retroactive refunds for residents who already paid personal property tax on those vehicles.
The Buckingham County Board of Supervisors on Monday voted to direct county staff to draft an ordinance to exempt farm‑use vehicles from personal property tax and to explore refunding residents who have already been billed.
Farmers and Farm Bureau representatives told the board the recent bills stem from statewide changes to farm‑use placards managed by the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles and from revenue officers issuing taxes without a local ordinance change. "Therefore, meaning that these tax bills that have been sent were issued without the board's permission, essentially, because you did not change your ordinance," said Sarah Large of the Buckingham Farm Bureau during public comment.
The board's action — a motion to have the county administrator and county attorney prepare a draft ordinance and consider retroactive refunds — passed by voice vote. The board chair and several supervisors said they had received a large number of constituent calls on the issue and wanted the ordinance process expedited; the motion included direction that any ordinance change be advertised and returned for formal action at the next meeting. The board did not set a specific refund amount or retroactive period at this meeting.
Why it matters: farm‑use placards and whether those vehicles are taxed affect some residents' tax bills and county revenues. County staff explained the local ordinance still shows farm‑use vehicles as exempt, but bills were issued after the DMV changed placard procedures; residents and Farm Bureau speakers said that resulted in unexpected tax notices.
What people said: in addition to Large, residents including Gary Farish and Chip (Ivan) Davis spoke during public comment opposing the new tax assessments. Several supervisors said they support moving quickly to correct what constituents described as an unfair result. County staff advised the board that changing a local ordinance requires a draft, public advertisement and a vote in a later meeting; the motion the board approved requested staff to prepare that ordinance and to propose whether refunds should be made to those who already paid.
Next steps: staff will prepare draft ordinance language and return the item for the board's consideration after public advertisement. The board's motion directed county staff to examine refund mechanics; no specific refund payments were approved tonight.
