Bath sets budget — with no hike in taxes

WARM SPRINGS — Why save for a rainy day when it's already raining?

That was the prevailing sentiment of the Bath County Board of Supervisors Tuesday. The board had advertised a 2-cent tax increase for the 2009-19 budget, but instead passed a $20,423,352 budget that includes no tax hike.

The budget was balanced by taking $337,434, the equivalent of the 2-cent increase, out of money designated as operating reserve.

The vote was 4-1, with vice chairman Jon Trees dissenting. Trees cited concerns about the county having enough money to operate until tax payments start to come in later in the year.

Supervisor Richard Byrd explained, "Whenever you overburden those who can least afford it, and I look at a budget that shows an increase in the reserve line item, and we have laid off staff in county government, and cut education, I can't support a budget that shows an increase in $600,000 in the reserve line item and increase taxes 2 percent."

Byrd said his support of the budget hinged on it including no tax increase. "If I don't get this, I won't support the budget and I won't support the tax rate," he said.

Supervisor Stuart Hall said departments had been returning unspent money to the county, including $100,000 from social services. That money, totaling more than $183,000, Hall said, made a tax increase unnecessary. "There is no need to raise taxes. I think it is the wrong thing to do to raise taxes," he said.

Trees said the budget was balanced with the 2-cent tax increase included. He said he understood about the money coming back in, but said approximately $100,000 is going to have to be spent to replace the courthouse roof in addition to other maintenance needs.

Chairman Percy Nowlin said in addition to the roof, the sheriff's office heating and cooling system is in poor condition and the animal shelter may need more work. "You can't keep putting things off," he said.

Nowlin said he would be comfortable with increasing the tax rate by 1 cent, but didn't believe the entire increase should be eliminated.

Referring to a table prepared by county administrator Bonnie Johnson, Trees said if a property was worth $100,000, the 2-cent increase would mean an additional $20 in taxes. For a $1 million property, that increase would be $200.

"I have concerns for people, but we have a business to run. We let our buildings run down, we borrow money to buy a school bus and we borrow money to buy police cars," Trees said. "In the six years I've been on this board, I've never seen us do any planning for purchases we know we are going to have to make. There's no way you can convince me somebody can't come up with an extra $20 for something that's needed."

Trees also said supervisors have been critical of the school board for not properly maintaining facilities and now the county is doing the same thing.

"What do you think people are doing to maintain their own facilities?" Hall asked.

Supervisor Carol Hardbarger said she could see both sides of the issue, but felt the right thing to do was not raise taxes.

Johnson said with the reduced amount, she and treasurer Mary Susan Blankenship would have to monitor the incoming revenue closely. Where possible, county departments will be asked to delay asking for major appropriations until after Jan. 1.

Library cuts

As the result of the 5 percent cut the county asked all departments to take for 2009-10, hours will be reduced at the Bath County Public Library.

Alan Bobowsky, director of the Rockbridge Regional Library System, told supervisors the Library of Virginia recommended the action in March, and the library board of trustees voted in May to follow that recommendation. Four hours will be cut from the library's Monday afternoon schedule.

"The trustees felt this was the way to go," Bobowsky said.

Library board member Steve Weintraub said the board felt if it didn't do something, other localities that cut funding to the library would expect no impact on services.

Bobowsky said he wanted to assure the county that new programs planned for the library, such as a young adult area, would still be implemented.

"We felt the four hours on Monday afternoon would be the least onerous to Bath County residents," Bobowsky said.

Nowlin expressed appreciation to the library board for making the cuts where they would have the least impact.