Stafford residents facing historic tax increase

According to the latest figures, owners of averaged-sized single-family homes in Stafford County could be slapped with a $4,811 Real Estate tax bill next year — nearly 40% larger than a year ago, a $1,331 increase.

The Board of Supervisors voted to advertise a $1.175 Real Estate tax rate (including a 3-cent levy to fund fire and rescue services) on every $100 of a home’s value, during its Tuesday, March 21 meeting.

The proposed rate is about 20 cents higher than the proposed tax rate in neighboring Prince William County, the second largest jurisdiction in Virginia, more than twice the size of Stafford.

Stafford County Supervisors may decide to lower the rate but cannot raise it before they approve the budget on April 18, 2023.

The increase would be the most significant in history if approved, said Falmouth District Supervisor Meg Bohmke. “With what these supervisors are proposing, I want to go to their house for Christmas,” said Bohmke. “I can not support a 32-cent increase. That is ludicrous. Our wishlist needs to be reduced.”

That wishlist would be funded with $42.2 million increase in general government spending, a 12% increase over last year, with nearly $2.5 million going to fire and rescue, $2 million for the sheriff’s office to pay for the second part of a two-pronged pay raise, this time for top brass, and $4.5 million to pay for school system debt.

It’s Stafford County Administrator Randal Vosburg‘s first proposed budget, now in the hands of supervisors trying to hammer out the spending plan.

The massive spending plan does not include an even larger $340 million wishlist from the county’s public schools, including three new elementary schools, replacing Drew Middle School, and adding a new wing of North Stafford High School.

The advertised $1.175 combined tax rate on every $100 is higher than the $1.11 per $100 rate not envisioned until 2028, according to the county’s five-year plan. According to county budget director Andrea Light, every penny added to the Real Estate Tax rate equates to $2.2 million.

Aquia District Supervisor Monica Gary motioned for the higher tax rate, saying recent deliberations between county leaders about increasing funding for government projects is a “beautiful thing.”

“If we did do this… I think this is an investment. It is an investment that is overdue,” said Gary.

Supervisors Pamela Yueng, and Tinesha Allen, the Democrats on the board, Monica Gary and Tom Coen, independents, voted to favor the advertised tax rate. Supervisors Meg Bohmke and Crystal Vanuch, Republicans, voted nay, with Supervisor Darrel English, also a Republican, absent from the vote due to a family emergency.

Homeowners will bear the brunt of the tax increase, while renters will likely see increased costs passed down in the coming years. County leaders are asking residents to pay more as record inflation, rising insurance premiums, and increasing living costs continue to spawn recession fears.

Despite those fears, Supervisor Allen said the time is now to give county employees a raise and fund transportation improvements. “As much as the schools need the money, our county government needs it equally as much. We’ve understaffed county government for years, and paying only $9 million to fund our county roads is a joke,” said Allen.

Vanuch argued that many of the projects the county aims to spend, including new schools, should be tied to a bond referendum approved by voters. The Board of County Supervisors’ spending priorities changes with newly elected members, while voter-approved bond projects cannot.

“If we were Serroius about funding the schools, we would have had a more serious bond referendum conversation,” said Vanuch. “This Tax increase does not fund everything the schools are asking for. You haven’t heard anyone here say they will vote for a 32-cent tax increase.”

“I will support it if that’s what the poeple say they want,” replied Gary. “My job is to make hard decisions.”

The supervisors who voted to advertise the higher rate said they wanted to hear from the public during a hearing on the tax rate on Tuesday, April 4, 2023, at the Stafford County Government Center, 1300 Courthouse Road.

Here’s the full schedule of advertised tax rates.