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Floyd County board sets FY27 real estate tax rate at 46¢ after debate over school salaries
Summary
The Floyd County board approved a two-cent increase in the real estate tax rate, from 44¢ to 46¢, for fiscal year 2027 after discussing school salary offers, bus safety and the county——————————————————————————— funding uncertainty from the Commonwealth; board members also agreed informally to allow the school division to move ahead on salary offers prior to final budget adoption.
Floyd County board members voted to set the county———————————————————————————wide real estate tax rate at 46 cents for fiscal year 2027, a two-cent increase from the current 44-cent rate, the board decided during a public hearing and subsequent discussion.
The board——————————————————————————— chair closed the public hearing and Committee member (S5) moved to approve the 46¢ real estate rate, saying the two-cent increase "gives us a cushion right now since we don't know what the state's doing." The motion was seconded and the board voted to adopt the rate; the chair said he would notify the commissioner of revenue and the treasurer in writing the next day so staff can proceed with required notices and tax billing preparations.
Why it mattered
Board members framed the increase as a short-term measure to protect county services and school operations while state budget allocations remain uncertain. Clerk (S1) said the advertised proposal is an increase from 0.44 to 0.46 and emphasized the change is intended to safeguard the school line in the county budget so the division can proceed with hiring and bus safety measures. "I got an email from Dr. Cromer," Clerk (S1) said when urging clarity on whether the school could move forward with salary offers before a final county budget.
Board debate
The meeting record shows a mix of support and concern. Supporters argued the modest increase helps preserve starting salaries for teachers and addresses safety on school buses. Committee member (S6) said the county must "stay ahead of the curve" to maintain services and staffing levels. Opponents cautioned about the burden on residents with fixed incomes; Committee member (S4) warned that "that's what's gonna upset the people here in Floyd County." Several members pointed to neighboring counties with higher tax rates and to the county's limited local revenue base as context for the decision.
School salaries and administrative direction
While the board did not adopt a formal separate motion instructing staff, multiple members signaled consensus that the school division should be allowed to proceed with salary-related contracts and advertised starting salaries so the division can recruit candidates. The board clarified this direction was intended to apply to salary commitments only and not to expand other school spending commitments until the final budget is adopted.
Process and next steps
Clerk (S1) confirmed the board will put its decision in writing for the commissioner of revenue and the treasurer so tax notices can be prepared. The board also confirmed the public hearing timing and advertisement details so notices align with the hearing scheduled on the 20th at 6:30 p.m. The meeting concluded with a formal vote to adjourn.
What the record does not show
The transcript does not include a published roll-call listing of each member———————————————————————————'s recorded votes with every individual name beside a recorded yes/no in a single clear table in the transcript; the chair and multiple members announced assent during the call, and the chair stated he would communicate the rate change to the commissioner of revenue and the treasurer in writing the following day.
