Manassas leaders move forward on a tax hike for schools

MANASSAS — A three-year city and school funding plan which includes an estimated tax rate increase of nine cents is on the table for the full council to vote on.

The plan includes an increase of the city allocation to Manassas City public schools of 2.625% annually over the next three years. The cost is estimated at roughly three cents added to the tax rate per year for three years, which is a total of nine cents once fully implemented.

This new funding would reportedly help schools maintain current classroom sizes, keep teacher pay competitive in Northern Virginia and go towards building the new Dean Elementary.

City council members met with W. Patrick Pate, city manager, on December 3 to discuss Manassas city public schools funding. They approved a motion (4-1) to move this particular three-year funding plan to the full council for a vote. That vote will be held December 10.

Councilmember Ian Lovejoy voiced concern that the increase would put Manassas’ tax rate in unsustainable territory.

“That new tax rate will have us tied with Manassas Park as the highest tax rate in Virginia,” Lovejoy told Potomac Local. “Anything beyond that and we achieve the dubious distinction of having the highest tax rate in Virginia. I think that will put future councils in a difficult position when it comes to having any capacity to raise additional revenue in the future.”

Lovejoy said he proposed a compromise plan that would fully fund capital needs for building a new Dean Elementary, and increased operation funding, albeit at a slower rate.

“My proposal did not reduce the size of operating funds, but simply had them growing at a slower rate,” said Lovejoy. “It would have cost 6.5 cents over three years and left us with more capacity in the future if it were ever needed.”

In a Facebook post about the funding plan, Lovejoy said his proposal “didn’t go anywhere.”

Councilmember Mark Wolfe told Potomac Local that although Manassas has one of the higher tax rates in the state, it also has “one of the lowest average tax bills.”

“Our citizen satisfaction scores are significantly above the regional and national averages,” said Wolfe. “All of our citizen input places a priority on having quality schools. Ensuring that we can compete for and retain quality teachers, keep class sizes reasonable and maintaining facilities are keystones of having great public education.”

“The council has typically used a two percent annual budget growth factor for our non school, general government services. That we are willing to increase that by 55 percent in funding our schools shows the importance that the council places on public education,” said Wolfe.

“Our friends on the schools side would like to have more money so that they can move even faster in building our school system,” Wolfe said, but it’s “a balancing act.” Other costs like fire and rescue services and street upkeep are also priorities that need significant funding.

No one knows what the final tax rate will be, Wolfe said. “Factors such as the change in the values of property, the amount of funds we receive from other sources such as sales taxes, even the amount of gasoline sold in the city, all enter into the equation.”

The motion will be discussed December 10, but it is not known whether the council will make a final decision then, or wait until January.