JAMES CITY — Starting Friday, a community conversation will begin on how the county will spend close to $191 million in the next fiscal.
Each of the five members of the county Board of Supervisors are expected to weigh in on the proposedspending plan during public forums held over the month of April.
This year the budget discussion looks to be a little different. No real estate tax increase is being proposed, although a budget fight may be looming over whether funds will be allocated for the 4th middle school project at James Blair.
County Administrator Bryan Hill will release the budget to the public on Friday, during a press conference with members of the media.
Last year, James City County had a rancorous debate over its budget plan as the county hiked its real estate tax for the first time in nearly two decades. The tax increase funded initiatives for stormwater, economic development, cleaning the county, replenishing debt service reserves and schools.
The tax debate realigned the political bloc of the Board of Supervisors at the time, transforming allegiances from partisan bases to views on the tax hike.
A trio of conservative groups — Americans for Prosperity, The Family Foundation based in Richmond, and The Williamsburg Historic Triangle Tea Party Patriots — campaigned against the 7 cent increase in the real estate tax rate, which pumped an additional $7.8 million in revenue into the county coffers.
Throughout the county, the anti-tax groups stumped in green lapel buttons and t-shirts, and held a tense community meeting in New Town where Board Chairman Michael Hipple and Supervisor Kevin Onizuk got in several terse exchanges while trying to defend the tax increase.
Supervisor Sue Sadler and Onizuk have raised questions about the 4th middle school project, which the county will have to allocate funds for. The total project will cost about $61 million.
Planning for the school is well underway, and the W-JCC School division has already selected a construction management firm for the school. The Board of Supervisors has previously voted in favor of the project.
Like 2015, each member of the board will host town hall meetings to discuss the budget plan.
Supervisor Ruth Larson, who represents the Berkeley District and last year served on the School Board, said the 4th middle school project will likely be a major topic of conversation at the budget forums planned for this year.
“I think the majority of citizens that I talk to understand we’re a growing community, we’re a mixed-age community, we certainly have educational needs that we need to address,” Larson said.
“I would imagine citizens will ask a whole host of questions concerning the county. I’ve attended different meetings in the county, people always appreciate an opportunity to come out and share ideas and thoughts on the county and the budget I’m certain,” Larson said.
“Obviously I think the budget town halls were critically important last year to give people an opportunity to understand what’s going on,” said Supervisor John McGlennon, who was narrowly re-elected last year after voting in favor of the tax increase.
“This year we’re set out to do two things, give a sense to the impact of the current year’s budget with the tax increase — the second is to discuss what is going to be contained in this year’s budget. Since we don’t anticipate a real estate tax increase this year and only a relatively modest change in the budget there may not be as much interest in attending these sessions,” McGlennon said.
Bogues can be reached by phone at 757-345-2346.
If you want to go
James City Supervisors will host 5 meetings on the budget. Here’s the schedule:
Roberts District (John McGlennon)
April 5, 6:30 p.m.
Government Center – 101 Mounts Bay Road, Building F
Powhatan District (Michael Hipple)
April 7, 6:30 p.m.
Lois S. Hornsby Middle School – 850 Jolly Pond Road
Jamestown District (Kevin Onizuk)
April 13, 6:30 p.m.
Legacy Hall – 4301 New Town Avenue
Berkeley District (Ruth Larson)
April 19, 6:30 p.m.
Jamestown High School – 3751 John Tyler Highway
Stonehouse District (Sue Sadler)
April 21, 6:30 p.m.
James City County Library – 7770 Croaker Road
For more on the budget
County Administrator Bryan Hill will release the budget to the public Friday. Visit vagazette.com on Friday for highlights of the budget and a rundown of the spending plan in Saturday’s print edition.
