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Bedford County keeps 2025 tax rates unchanged; board adopts ordinance
Summary
Bedford County supervisors voted unanimously April 14 to adopt an ordinance keeping the county's current tax rates for 2025, including a $0.41-per-$100 real-estate rate and $2.35-per-$100 personal property rate.
Bedford County supervisors voted unanimously April 14 to adopt an ordinance establishing the 2025 tax rates, keeping the county’s existing rates in place for the 2025 fiscal year.
County staff presented the proposed rates during a public hearing: real estate at $0.41 per $100 of assessed value; manufactured homes at $0.41 per $100; personal property (vehicles, boats, trailers) at $2.35 per $100; heavy equipment and certain other property at $1.70 per $100; and machinery and tools at $1.20 per $100. Exemptions for vehicles transporting the physically handicapped and qualified disabled veterans remain in place, staff said.
The rates were adopted by roll-call vote after the hearing. Supervisor Tuck moved to adopt Ordinance 041425-4; Supervisor Bainsley seconded. The motion passed on a unanimous roll call.
Board members asked for clarification on several budget-line items tied to revenue projections. A supervisor asked why staff projected roughly a $3 million increase in personal property revenue for FY26; county staff said the increase was due to a combination of factors including growth and additional vehicles, and offered to provide a detailed breakdown to the board after the meeting. Another supervisor noted a roughly 15% increase in machinery and tools tax revenue and asked whether new businesses moving into the county were driving the rise; staff said the increase reflects expansion among several small- and medium-sized firms rather than a single large new employer.
During the citizen comment period inside the public hearing, resident Yvonne Barrons (address given on the record) asked whether higher registration fees for hybrid and electric vehicles were a county decision. Staff responded that vehicle personal property tax is based on assessed (book) value and that higher registration fees for EVs are typically a state-level registration/fee decision rather than a county tax rate change.
The board closed the hearing and adopted the ordinance by unanimous vote. The ordinance adoption was recorded as Ordinance 041425-4.
