Finance committee votes to advertise up to 66-cent real-estate tax cap and $200 solid-waste fee

Pittsylvania County's Board of Supervisors finance committee voted 3 to 1 on March 17 to direct staff to advertise a cap of 66 cents per $100 for the real-estate tax and to advertise increasing the household solid-waste fee to $200, actions that set upper bounds for public hearings but do not finalize tax rates.

The vote followed a presentation from county finance staff about the county's draft 2027 budget and revenue assumptions. Kim Vanderhyde, the county's finance presenter, told the committee that the county's general-fund spending request exceeds the prior year by roughly $6.9 million and that revenues as currently projected fall short by about $4.3 million. "The required increase at this point ... is seven cent," Vanderhyde said, describing the level that would fund all current department requests but leave no cushion.

Vanderhyde told members the current real-estate tax rate is 56 cents per $100 and presented illustrative impacts for higher advertising options, including 62 and 65 cents. She said schools (about 28% of the increase) and justice and public safety (about 33%) together drive more than 60% of the additional requested spending. Vanderhyde also noted that the county will begin reassessment July 1 and that courthouse renovation or related projects are not funded in the current draft budget.

During discussion, committee members said they wanted to advertise a higher cap to retain flexibility while staff refines revenue estimates. A motion to advertise up to 66 cents carried on an electronic vote with Mr. Bowman, Mr. Brown and Mr. Tucker voting yes and Mr. Ingram voting no; Ingram said he understood the rationale but did not support the advertised cap. The committee's action authorizes staff to include that figure in the public-notice advertisement; the board must set the final rate at the public hearing scheduled for April 9 at 7:00 p.m.

On solid-waste fees, Vanderhyde noted the household fee has been $120 since 2018 and that staff proposed advertising $200; the committee agreed to advertise the $200 cap but can reduce the fee when it takes the final vote. Vanderhyde said the advertisement is a ceiling, not a final decision: "Statutorily we can come down. We cannot go up," she said.

Next steps: staff will place the advertised rates in the public notices (advertisements planned March 25 and April 1) and the board will consider final rates at the April 9 public hearing and subsequent meetings tied to the FY2027 calendar.