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Goochland supervisors express support for 3% teacher raise as budget talks weigh insurance costs
Summary
Supervisors and school officials signaled support for a market-competitive 3% teacher raise and discussed options to share a roughly 9.1% health-insurance premium increase; staff presented multiple cost scenarios and possible offsets ahead of a May budget decision.
Dr. Armstrong, the school division's lead presenter, told Goochland County supervisors that the division's top budget priority is supporting educators and staff with market-competitive pay and benefits. "My first priority would be to ensure that we continue to support them, with the market competitive raise and benefits," he said, urging the board to give early guidance ahead of May 5.
Officials offered several cost estimates during the joint work session. Dr. Armstrong estimated the combined cost of a 3% raise (including step increases) at about $1.1 million when local, state and federal funding sources are combined. Division staff described a 9.1% health-insurance premium increase and sketched proposals for sharing that increase; absorbing the full insurance spike would add roughly $336,000 under one scenario and could rise to about $470,000 under another, officials said. "That cost would be $1,565,677" under a specific scenario combining a 3% raise and broader insurance absorption, a staff member summarized.
County Administrator Dr. Railey told the board staff had identified a roughly 2 percentage-point reduction in the Virginia Retirement System (VRS) employer contribution for FY27 that could yield nearly $1 million in expenditure savings and provide flexibility if supervisors choose to increase the local transfer to schools. "We are the beneficiary of a change in our employer contribution for VRS ' to the tune of 2% ' which results in nearly 1000000 dollars of expenditure savings," Railey said.
Supervisors debated whether to align county employee cost-sharing with the school division so teachers receive comparable net pay, while others cautioned about shifting costs or signaling higher taxes to residents. Several board members pressed for clarity on the precise dollar request so they could identify offsets rather than provide an open-ended commitment.
Next steps: staff asked for direction to finalize the county's proposed local transfer so the school division can plan contracts and hiring; a final decision is scheduled for the board's May meeting.
