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Residents urge lower tax rate and demand AquaPlex contractor financials at Hampton budget hearing
Summary
Two residents told council to consider a lower tax rate and pushed the city to release financial statements for the AquaPlex contractor; staff said they would provide documents as soon as finance staff can process the transition materials.
Two members of the public used the three-minute public-comment period to challenge the manager’s recommendations and press for transparency.
Aaron Weaver (self-identified) urged council to adopt a lower real-estate tax rate, saying a $1.13 rate would, in his projection, deliver nearly $3.8 million for schools under a local model. "A rate of $1.13 would give the city ... nearly 3,800,000 for our schools," Weaver said, and asked council to prioritize residents and city employees over symbolic one-cent reductions.
Brenda Marks presented a packet of charts and documents and repeated concerns she has raised previously about assessment trends and the AquaPlex contract. "To this day, the city has failed to provide any financial statement from the contractor that managed the AquaPlex since October 2022," Marks said, and urged council to either obtain those statements or explain why they do not exist.
City Manager Mary Bunting responded after the public hearing, saying staff had received documents during the operator transition that require time to review and that finance would provide what it can as it clears other closeout priorities. Bunting also explained differences between new-construction increases and property reassessments when reconciling residents' percentage-change calculations.
The public comments were entered for the record; staff will supply requested AquaPlex documentation when practicable and will return with budget amendment language at the May 14 meeting.
