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A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE PHYSICAL YEAR 20 25, 26[Board of Supervisors Budget Public Hearing on April 7, 2025.]
BUDGET, AND ALSO FOR THE 2025 TAX RATE PUBLIC HEARING.UH, IF YOU CAN, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE STAND WITH ME FOR OUR INVOCATION, OUR PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
DEAR GOD BLESS THIS MEETING, AND ALLOW US DO OUR WORK THROUGH YOUR WILL PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
UM, WE DO NOT HAVE TO, UH, REMOTE PARTICIPATION, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT THAT, UH, SUPERVISOR DE GEORGE WILL NOT BE WITH US TONIGHT BECAUSE OF MEDICAL REASONS.
UH, ONE FOUR ON THE AGENDA IS ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA.
SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION PROPERLY SECONDED.
UH, ITEM NUMBER TWO, ONE, PUBLIC HEARING RULES.
SO, MS. PROCTOR, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, THE PUBLIC HEARING RULES ARE AS FOLLOWS.
ALL PERSONS WISHING TO SPEAK SHOULD SIGN THE REGISTER.
THE BOARD SHOULD STAND BEHIND THE LECTERN PERSONS ADDRESSING.
THE BOARD SHALL BE LIMITED TO FOUR MINUTES.
PERSONS ADDRESSING THE BOARD SHALL NOT USE INAPPROPRIATE LANGUAGE OR VERBALLY ATTACK ANY BOARD MEMBER OR ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC.
ANY PERSON WHOSE BEHAVIOR IS DISRUPTIVE SHALL BE ASKED TO LEAVE THE MEETING ROOM.
PERSONS MAY NOT QUESTION INDIVIDUAL SUPERVISORS OR STAFF MEMBERS WITHOUT UNANIMOUS CONSENT OF THE BOARD PERSONS ADDRESSING.
THE BOARD SHALL LIMIT THEIR COMMENTS TO THE ISSUE AT THE PUBLIC HEARING.
A SPEAKER MAY RESERVE THEIR TIME, BUT SHALL NOT DELEGATE THEIR TIME TO ANOTHER.
SPEAKER AND ATTORNEYS REPRESENTING CLIENTS WILL BE LIMITED TO 10 MINUTES.
AND IF ANY ATTORNEY SPEAKS UNDER THIS PROVISION, A REPRESENTATIVE HOLDING AN OPPOSING VIEW SHALL BE PROVIDED 10 MINUTES TO PRESENT THEIR VIEW.
THE CHAIR HAS A RIGHT AND DUTY TO MAINTAIN PROPER ORDER IN ACCORDANCE WITH THESE RULES.
THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN PHILLIPS, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
GOOD EVENING, MIKE MASON, COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
UH, BEFORE WE GET STARTED ON TONIGHT'S, UH, HEARINGS, UH, JUST A COUPLE OF HOUSEKEEPING MATTERS, UH, SINCE THIS IS A DIFFERENT LOCATION THAN WHERE YOU NORMALLY HOLD YOUR MONTHLY MEETINGS.
THERE'S A FEW SLIGHT TWEAKS TO OUR PROCESS.
ONE IS THESE MICS HAVE AN ON OFF SWITCH, SO, UH, PLEASE, UH, WHEN YOU'RE PREPARED TO SPEAK, UH, PUSH THE BUTTON UNTIL YOU SEE THE GREEN LIGHT.
AND THEN, UH, WHEN YOU'RE FINISHED, UH, TURN THE MIC BACK OFF.
AND IF YOU CAN TRY TO SPEAK DIRECTLY INTO THE MIC.
I KNOW AT OUR FIRST PUBLIC HEARING, UM, A COUPLE WEEKS OR A COUPLE WEEKS AGO THAT WE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF A TROUBLE PICKING UP SOME OF THE AUDIO WHEN STAFF WAS WORKING ON THE MINUTES.
SO JUST GETTING AS CLOSE TO THE MIC AS POSSIBLE HELPS US, AND I'M SURE IT HELPS WITH THE STREAMING THAT'S GOING ON ON THE INTERNET OF THIS MEETING.
THIS IS, UM, THE OVERVIEW OF YOUR FISCAL YEAR 2026, PROPOSED BUDGET AND CALENDAR YEAR TAX RATES.
UM, THIS IS OUR SECOND MEETING DATE, UM, WHERE WE HAVE PROVIDED THIS PRESENTATION AND CONDUCTED THE TWO HEARINGS THAT ARE ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT.
MY PRE MY, UH, PRESENTATION TONIGHT IS GOING TO BE, UH, EXACTLY THE SAME AS THE ONE THAT YOU RECEIVED BACK, UH, ON, ON THE FIRST GO ROUND.
UH, STARTING OFF, JUST A COUPLE OF PRECURSORY REMARKS, UH, SORT OF A HISTORY OF HOW WE GOT HERE.
THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 2026 COUNTY BUDGET AND TAX RATES WERE ORDERED, PUBLISHED BY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS BACK ON FEBRUARY 19TH.
THE ASSOCIATED ADVERTISEMENT RAN IN THE EASTERN SHORE POST ON MARCH 7TH, MARCH 21ST, AND AGAIN ON MARCH 28TH.
THE CODE OF VIRGINIA REQUIRES THE COUNTY WHOLE SEPARATE HEARINGS FOR ADOPTION OF THE COUNTY BUDGET AND APPROVAL OF TAX RATES, TAX RATES WHEN THERE IS A, A TAX RATE INCREASE.
UM, AND THAT IS WHY WE'RE HAVING TWO HEARINGS TONIGHT.
THIS PRESENTATION THAT I'M GIVING NOW IS SERVES AS THE STAFF'S REPORT ON BOTH OF THE SCHEDULED HEARINGS.
SO, KICKING OFF WITH PUBLIC HEARING NUMBER ONE, THIS IS THE HEARING ON THE PROPOSED ACK COUNTY 2025 2026 TAX RATES AND FEES.
UH, THIS, THE TABLE THAT YOU SEE ON THIS SLIDE, UH, COVERS ALL OF OUR MAJOR REVENUE TYPES AND WHAT THOSE FEES ASSOCIATED ASSOCIATED WITH EACH R THERE IS A PROPOSED TAX INCREASE, A REAL ESTATE TAX INCREASE.
UM, YOU CAN SEE THAT WHAT THE, THE CHANGE IS HERE.
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ARE CHANGING ARE, ARE, HAVE A RED FONT.SO IN THIS CASE, THE REAL ESTATE RATE PROPOSED, UH, IS IS 53.4 UH CENTS.
THAT'S AN INCREASE OF FIVE FROM 5 CENTS FROM THE PRIOR YEAR.
AND THERE'S ALSO A PROPOSED INCREASE IN THE CIGARETTE TAX FROM 20 CENTS PER PACK TO 40 CENTS PER PER PACK.
ALL OTHER TAX AND FEE RATES ARE UNCHANGED.
AND SO NOW WE'LL DRILL INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT AND TALK ABOUT WHY THAT TAX INCREASE IS BEING PROPOSED AND SPECIFICALLY WHAT IT'S BEING USED FOR.
SO, UM, I'M GONNA START REALLY AT THE BOTTOM HERE WITH THIS TABLE THAT SAYS DECONSTRUCTED COUNTY OF REAL ESTATE TAX RATE.
SO IN MACK, WE, OUR, OUR TOTAL RATE CURRENT RATE IS 48.40 CENTS, BUT THAT IS MADE UP OF SE THREE SEPARATE COMPONENTS.
ONE OF THOSE COMPONENTS IS, UM, EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES EMS, AND THAT'S WHERE THIS TAX INCREASE IS BEING PROPOSED TO INCREASE THAT SPECIFIC COMPONENT OF THE COUNTY'S REAL ESTATE.
UM, ALL REVENUES GENERATE FROM THIS INCREASE IF APPROVED, WOULD BE DEPOSITED INTO THE COUNTY'S, UH, EMS SPECIAL REVENUE FUND AND USED EXCLUSIVELY TO PAY EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES.
AND BY EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES, I MEAN, UH, ESSENTIALLY 24 7 EMERGENCY TRANSPORT SERVICES, AMBULANCE SERVICES, AND FIRE SUPPRESSION SERVICES.
THIS RATE INCREASE DOES NOT EXPAND SERVICES.
IT ONLY ADDRESSES THE EMS FUND STRUCTURAL IMBALANCE, WHERE WE CURRENTLY HAVE A SITUATION WHERE EMS COSTS ARE SIGNIFICANTLY EXCEEDING, UH, THE REVENUE DERIVED FROM THAT TAX.
AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT WHY THAT IS IN A FEW SLIDES.
BUT, UH, BEFORE I MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE, THE, THE TABLE TO THE RIGHT ON, ON THIS, ON THIS SLIDE SHOWS WHERE WE RANK AMONG OUR PEER LOCALITIES, UM, TOP TO BOTTOM.
AND AKAMAK HAS, AGAIN, IT'S SHOWN IN A RED FONT.
AND WE, WE, OUR RATE IS THE THIRD LOWEST OF OUR, OUR, I BELIEVE IT'S 18 MEMBER PEER GROUP.
UM, AND SO EVEN IF THE TAX RATE, AND THIS IS THE CURRENT RATE, IF IT WAS INCREASED, WE WOULD JUMP UP A COUPLE SPOTS, UM, IF THAT WAS THE CASE.
BUT STILL, WE ARE AT THE BOTTOM LIST.
AND, AND MACK COUNTY CONTINUES TO, TO ENJOY ONE OF THE LOWEST REAL ESTATE TAX RATES, UM, FOR COMPARABLE COUNTIES IN THE COMMONWEALTH.
SO WHAT IS EMS FUND AND WHY IS IT STRUCTURALLY IMBALANCED? UM, THE COUNTY LEVIES, AGAIN, THE COUNTY LEVIES TAX ON REAL ESTATE AND PERSONAL PROPERTY FOR EMS SERVICES IN ALL COUNTY AREAS.
BUT THE TOWN OF SHETTI, AND THE REASON IT'S NOT LEVIED IN THE TOWN OF SHETTI IS BECAUSE THE TOWN PROVIDES THOSE SERVICES TO ITS RESIDENTS ITSELF.
UM, THEY PAY FOR THE COSTS ASSOCIATED.
THEREFORE, THAT TAX, UM, DOES NOT EXTEND INTO THE INCORPORATED AREA OF THE TOWN OF SHETTI.
UH, ALL PROCEEDS FROM THE TAX LEVY, UM, ARE DEPOSITED IN THIS FUND USED EXCLUSIVELY TO PAY FOR EMS SERVICES PROVIDED TO COUNTY RESIDENTS.
THAT'S WHY IT'S A SPECIAL REVENUE FUND.
WE ARE LEGALLY RESTRICTED TO SPEND, UM, THE REVENUES ASSOCIATED WITH THIS TAX ONLY ON EMS SERVICES.
AND WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT KIND OF EXPENDITURES, WHAT TIME OF COST DOES THAT COUNT, DOES THAT FUND, UM, INCUR? WELL, IT PAYS FOR THE COMPENSATION OF APPROXIMATELY 65 FULL-TIME CAREER STAFF.
UM, AND ALL THE REQUIRED PPE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT, OVER 90 PER 92% OF THE EXPENDITURES OF THE FUND ARE, ARE FOR EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION PURPOSES.
UH, THE FUND IS DESIGNED TO BE SELF, UH, SELF-SUSTAINING.
THE REVENUE FROM THE MS TAX IS SUPPOSED TO COVER COSTS, BUT THEY'RE NOT, UH, CURRENTLY DOING THAT.
SO, AND, AND THAT'S WHAT WE, WHEN I SAY THEY'RE NOT COVERING COSTS, THAT'S, I USE THAT, THAT THAT'S BASICALLY THE DEFINITION OF STRUCTURALLY IMBALANCED.
SO HOW DID WE GET HERE? UM, BACK IN FISCAL YEAR 2022, UH, THE BOARD, AFTER CONDUCTING A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE ISSUE, ADDED 12 NEW EMS RELATED POSITIONS TO THE COUNTY BUDGET WITHOUT INCREASING THE EMS TAX RATE AT THE TIME.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE THERE WAS EXISTING FUND BALANCE TO COVER SOME OF THIS, UM, POSITIONS WERE USED TO SUPPLEMENT CURRENT EMS OPERATIONS AND TO THESE NEW POSITIONS, AND TO ADD THE GREEN BAYVILLE FIRE COMPANY TO THE LIST OF VOLUNTEER STATIONS STAFFED BY COUNTY PERSONNEL.
SO IN LIEU OF INCREASING THE MEMS TAX RATE, THE BOARD ELECTED TO USE THE ACCUMULATED FUND BALANCE TO PAY FOR THE COST OF THIS ACTION.
AND BACK IN 2012, WE, THE STAFF INFORMED THE BOARD THAT, UM, IT, THERE WAS SUFFICIENT EMS FUND BALANCE TO COVER THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THESE ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL TOTAL FISCAL YEAR 2026.
AND OF COURSE, THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE WE ARE TONIGHT.
UM, IN FISCAL YEAR, THERE WAS ONE OTHER COMPONENT THAT LED TO A, A STRUCTURAL IMBALANCE SITUATION.
IN FISCAL YEAR 2023, THE BOARD APPROVED TARGETED PAY INCREASES FOR ALL DDPS FIRST RESPONDERS IN ORDER TO IMPROVE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION OF THESE POSITIONS.
AND, AND THE SAME PROCESS SORT, UH, WORKED OUT IN, IN THAT CASE AS WELL,
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IN LIEU OF INCREASING THE MS TAX RATE, THE BOARD ELECTED TO USE ACCUMULATED FUND BALANCE.SO AGAIN, THESE, THESE TWO ACTIONS ADDED TO THE EXPENDITURE SIDE, UM, OF, OF THE BUDGET, BUT DIDN'T, UM, DIDN'T HAVE ANY IMPACT ON THE REVENUE SIDE.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE EMS FUND, THIS, THE, THE CHART TO THE LEFT IS BASICALLY WHAT HAPPENS IF THE TAX RATE'S NOT INCREASED.
AND SO RIGHT NOW, UM, AS YOU, AS YOU CAN SEE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2000, UH, 25, WE HAVE A, UM, BALANCE IN THE FUND.
IN FY 26, IF NO ACTION IS TAKEN EITHER TO INCREASE THE TAX RATE OR SOME OTHER MECHANISM, WE WILL DROP INTO A DEFICIT SITUATION IN THE FUND.
AND THAT DEFICIT WILL ONLY GET WORSE AS THE FOLLOWING YEARS, UH, GO BY IF THE MS RATE IS INCREASED.
THAT'S WHAT THE TABLE TO THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE SLIDE SHOWS YOU.
UM, IT SHORES UP FY 26, IT PUTS FY 27, IT, IT BREAK EVEN.
AND THEN THERE'S, UM, UH, WITH CURRENT PROJECTIONS, YOU MAY HAVE TO INCREASE THE TAX RATE AGAIN, IN ORDER TO AVOID A DEFICIT IN FY 28.
AND THAT'S LARGELY DEPENDENT ON INFLATION COST AND, AND ACTIONS THE BOARD TAKES OVER THE NEXT COUPLE YEARS.
SO IF, IF THE TAX INCREASE HAPPENS, WHAT'S THE IMPACT TO, UH, THE, TO A PROPERTY OWNER? UH, THE EASIEST WAY TO LOOK AT THAT IS FOR EVERY A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS, UM, THAT YOUR PROPERTY, UM, IS, IS VALUED AT FOR TAX PURPOSES, THAT WOULD BE AN ADDITIONAL $50 IN TAXES PAID ANNUALLY.
IF, IF THE RATE IS INCREASED BY THE FULL 5 CENTS THAT'S BEING PROPOSED.
IF YOU LOOK AT IT ANOTHER WAY, UM, IF, IF YOU TAKE THE COUNTY'S TAX ROLE AND YOU SAY, OKAY, I WANNA TAKE THE MEDIAN OF ALL OF ALL PROPERTIES, UM, THAT HAVE IMPROVEMENTS ON THEM, WHAT YOU'D FIND IS THAT THE MEDIAN PROPERTY VALUE IS, IS $151,400.
AND, AND ON THE MEDIAN, IT MEANS THE TOTAL DAC TAXES DUE WOULD RISE FROM $733, WHICH IS WHAT IT WOULD BE AT TODAY'S RATE TO 808 UH, DOLLARS, UH, BASED ON THE NEW RATE.
IN ADDITION TO THE PROPOSED REAL ESTATE TAX FREEZE, THERE IS A PROPOSED INCREASE FROM 20 CENT PER PACK TO 40 CENT PER PACK FOR CIGARETTES.
UH, VIRGINIA CODE SECTION 58.1 DASH 38 30 AUTHORIZES ALL COUNTIES TO LEVY ATTACKS ON CIGARETTES NOT TO EXCEED 40 CENTS PER PACK.
UH, CURRENTLY THE COUNTY RATE IS 50% LOWER THAN THE TAX CHARGE BY NORTH HAMPTON COUNTY, THE TOWN OF SHTE, AND MOST MEMBERS OF THE CHESAPEAKE REGIONAL CIGARETTE TAX BOARD, WHICH MACK COUNTY IS, IS A MEMBER OF.
AND SO THIS TABLE SHOWS YOU WHAT THE CURRENT, UM, RATE IS PER PACK AND PER CARTON, WHAT THE CURRENT PROPOSED, UH, EXCISE TAX RATE IS, AND, UM, WHAT THE STATE EXCISE TAX IS, WHICH IS ON TOP OF ALL THIS, WHICH IS, IS SORT OF IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND WHEN, UM, PARTICULARLY WHEN I SHOW YOU THE NEXT SLOT SLIDE.
SO THIS IS A, A CHART OF, UM, ALL THE STATE CIGARETTE TAXES IN THE NATION.
AND, UM, HERE IN AKIMA COUNTY, WE HAVE A, A, A VERY ROBUST CIGARETTE TA TAX SALES.
AND IT'S NOT BECAUSE, UM, OUR CITIZENS SMOKE MORE THAN ANY OTHER, UH, CITIZENS OF OTHER LOCALITIES.
IT'S BECAUSE WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS, THIS CHART AND YOU LOOK TO THE NORTH OF US, AND YOU LOOK AT THE, THE TAX RATES IN NEW JERSEY, DELAWARE, MARYLAND, UM, PENNSYLVANIA, ALL OF THEM ARE, AND PARTICULARLY NEW YORK, ALL OF THEM ARE MULTIPLE TIMES WHAT THE CURRENT STATE TAX RATE IS IN, IN VIRGINIA.
AND SO, UM, WE TEND TO SEE FOLKS FLOCK FROM THE NORTHERN AREAS AND, AND, AND BUY THEIR CIGARETTES HERE LOCALLY AND THEN HEAD, HEAD BACK NORTH.
AND ONCE YOU GET TO VIRGINIA, AS YOU START MAKING YOUR D WAY DOWN THE SOUTHERN COAST, YOU SEE AND TR TRADITIONALLY TOBACCO AREAS, TOBACCO STATES, UM, THE RATE IS, IS, IS SIMILAR OR, OR EVEN LESS THAN WHAT, UM, IT IS IN VIRGINIA.
BUT AGAIN, UM, WE TEND TO HAVE, UM, A FAIRLY ROBUST, UM, SALES OF CIGARETTE TAX JUST SURELY BECAUSE OF OUR LOCATION, UH, NEXT TO SOME OF THESE HIGH TAX STATES,
SO THAT'S, THAT CONCLUDES MY REMARKS ON THE PROPOSED TAX RATES AND, AND FEES AND NOW PROGRESS INTO THE PUBLIC HEARING NUMBER TWO, WHICH IS, UM, FOCUSED ON THE FISCAL YEAR 2025, 2026 PROPOSED COUNTY BUDGET.
SO, UH, I ALWAYS LIKE TO START AT A VERY HIGH LEVEL.
UM, SO THIS IS WHAT WE REFER TO AS A BUDGET AT A GLANCE.
UM, WHAT THIS ESSENTIALLY SAYS IS THAT THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR FY 26 IS 6.8% HIGHER THAN IT WAS LAST YEAR, BUT THE MAJORITY OF THAT INCREASE IS IN ONE TIME PROJECT.
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YEAR WE SPENT 6 MILLION OR BUDGETED $6 MILLION FOR CAPITAL EXPENSES.AND FY 26, IT'S, UM, IT'S 8.5 MILLION.
THESE ARE ONE TIME, UH, CAPITAL PROJECTS, DOCK RE, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE PROJECTS LIKE DOCKS, UM, WASTEWATER INFRASTRUCTURE.
UH, AND, AND I HAVE SOME EXAMPLES OF WHAT MAKES UP THE 8.5 MILLION, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE THE LARGEST PORTION OF THE INCREASE IS COMING.
UM, IT, IT'S NOT AN ANNUAL, UH, IT DOESN'T CARRY WITH IT IN, IN MOST CASES AN ANNUAL COST, BUT AGAIN, THE, THE INCREASE IS, IS 6.8% AS PROPOSED, AND THE BUDGET IS BALANCED AS IT MUST BE PER THE CODE OF VIRGINIA.
THESE, AND, AND I I'M NOT GONNA GO INTO THESE VERY DEEPLY, BUT THIS IS JUST, UM, THIS TAKES THE ENTIRE BUDGET AND LOOKS FIRST AT WHERE ALL THE MONEY'S COMING FROM AND CHARTS IT OUT.
THE, THE MAJOR POINT TO MAKE HERE IS THAT JUST LIKE MOST LOCALITIES IN THE COMMONWEALTH, UH, ARE TAX, MOST OF OUR TAX REVENUES COME FROM GENERAL PROPERTY TAXES.
UH, WE DON'T HAVE AN INCOME TAX IN ACK.
WE DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO LEVY AN INCOME TAX.
UM, AND THEN IT LOOKS LIKE WHERE ALL THE FUNDING GOES, UM, THAT, THAT WE, WE RAISE HERE THROUGH TAX REVENUE.
AND THE, THE LARGEST, UH, COST IS, IS, UH, THE, THE FUNDS THAT GO TOWARDS, UM, PUBLIC EDUCATION HERE IN, IN MACK.
UH, WHEN YOU DRILL DOWN, AND THAT'S ALL FUNDS, THAT'S STATE, THAT'S STATE DOLLARS, THAT'S, THAT'S FEDERAL DOLLARS THAT'S LOOKING AT THE ENTIRE, UH, REVENUE PICTURE.
BUT WHEN YOU DRILL DOWN AND YOU LOOK AT THE LOCAL TAXES, THE TAXES THAT THE BOARD LEVEES, THE REAL ESTATE TAX, UM, SALES AND USE TAX, SOME OF THESE THINGS, UM, AND YOU LOOK AT HOW MUCH THE, WHERE THE, THE LOCAL TAX DOLLARS GO, UM, AGAIN, THE LARGEST PORTION GOES TOWARDS EDUCATION.
BUT THE SECOND LARGEST PIECE, UH, IS, IS WELL, BASICALLY THE SAME AS ALL OTHER COUNTY GOVERNMENT.
IT'S, IT'S PUBLIC SAFETY AND PUBLIC SAFETY.
IN THIS CASE, IT'S GONNA BE LAW ENFORCEMENT AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES PREDOMINANTLY.
UM, BUT THAT THOSE TWO AREAS TAKEN AS A WHOLE ARE YOUR LARGEST, UM, COMPONENTS OF THE EXPENDITURES.
WHEN, WHEN YOU DRILL INTO HOW LOCAL TAX DOLLARS ARE SPENT ON THE SPENDING SIDE, AGAIN, I SHOWED THESE THESE NUMBERS BEFORE THE OPERATING BUDGET'S GONNA GO, IT'S PROPOSED TO GO UP BY 4.4%, UM, THE CAPITAL BUDGET BY 39.8, UH, THERE IS INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET A $972,000 TRANSFER TO THE RAINY DAY FUNDING, UM, WHICH IS CURRENTLY IN AN UNDERFUNDED STATE.
AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS, ACCORDING TO BEST PRACTICES, WE SHOULD HAVE MORE FUNDS IN OUR RAINY DAY FUND THAN WE CURRENTLY DO.
AND SO WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO BUILD OVER THE YEARS TO GET UP TO THAT BEST PRACTICE.
AND WE'RE, WE'RE NOT QUITE THERE YET.
UH, THE BUDGET DOES NOT RELY ON ANY ADDITIONAL DEBT TO BE ISSUED.
UH, WE ARE HISTORICALLY A, A, A LOW DEBT COUNTY, AND OUR DEBT SERVICE REMAINS, UM, FAIRLY MINIMAL FOR OUR SIZE.
SO WHEN WE GET INTO WHAT IS DRIVING THESE PERCENTAGE, THE, THE GROWTH IN THE COUNTY BUDGET, IT REALLY COMES DOWN TO WHAT THE BUDGET PRIORITIES WERE FOR FY 26.
AND, AND AT THE TOP, AND WE'LL KIND OF JUST QUICKLY GO AROUND, THE TOP ONE WAS TO FUND THE STRATEGIC PRIORITIES THAT THE BOARD HAS IDENTIFIED.
THE BOARD HAS, HAS, HAS GONE, HAD SPECIAL MEETINGS TO DEVELOP ITS STRATEGIC GOALS.
UM, AND ONCE THOSE WERE, UM, PUT FORTH, ONE OF THE MAJOR PRIORITIES OF STAFF WAS TO COME BACK TO THE BOARD WITH INITIATIVES THAT WOULD SUPPORT THOSE, THOSE DIFFERENT PRIORITIES.
SO, UM, AND I'M GONNA TOUCH ON EACH ONE OF THESE, BUT, UH, THE SECOND, UH, PRIORITY IS, IS TO RECRUIT A AND RETAIN A, A QUALIFIED WORKFORCE.
UH, NONE OF THE SERVICES IN ACK COUNTY CAN BE THAT ACK COUNTY PROVIDES, CAN BE PERFORMED UNLESS WE HAVE A WORKFORCE TO DO IT.
AND WE WANT TO DO OUR BEST TO, TO RETAIN WHO WE HAVE AND, AND WHEN WE'RE UNFORTUNATE ENOUGH TO LOSE ONE, TO BE ABLE TO BRING SOMEONE IN WHO HAS, UH, WHO IS AS QUALIFIED AS THE FIRST PERSON THAT WE LOST.
UM, THE THIRD PRIORITY, I, I I'VE ALREADY SPOKEN TO, BUT WE NEED TO ADDRESS THE STRUCTURAL IMBALANCE OF THE EMS FUND, UH, AND THE REMAINDER OF BULLETS.
HONOR OUR CONTRACTUAL COMMITMENTS.
UM, WE HAVE A LOT OF AGREEMENTS, INCLUDING A, A BASIC ONE WITH MACK COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD ON HOW WE MEASURE, UH, THE AMOUNT OF LOCAL SUPPORT THAT WE GIVE TO, UH, PUBLIC EDUCATION.
UH, AGAIN, I REMARKED ABOUT THE THE RAINY DAY FUND.
UM, OTHER PRIORITIES ARE JUST MAINTAINING OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, MAINTAINING OUR BUILDINGS, UH, AND, AND OTHER FACILITIES.
AND, AND OF COURSE, WE'RE NO DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER BUSINESS OUT THERE.
WE HAVE, UH, INFLATIONARY DEMANDS ON OUR BUDGET RIGHT NOW.
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COST INCREASE, AND SO WE HAVE TO RESPOND TO THOSE, UM, INCREASES IN THE COST OF PROVIDING SERVICES.SO, AGAIN, KIND OF DRILLING INTO THESE, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE STRATEGIC PLAN PRIORITIES, THAT IS ONE OF THE LARGE, THAT IS THE LARGEST, UH, PRIORITY IN TERMS OF COST.
UH, AND, AND WHAT I'VE DONE HERE IS JUST LIST SOME OF THE, THE INITIATIVES THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET, UH, SEED FUNDS FOR WASTEWATER NEEDS IN NORTH MACK, VOLUNTARY DERELICT BUILDING REMOVAL PROGRAM, WALLACE RESEARCH PARK, REAR ACCESS ROAD, UH, ERP APPLICATION, UH, LOCAL SUBSIDY TO, UM, THE SOLE AND WELL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM THAT'S RUN BY THE A-M-P-D-C, EXPANDING PARKS AND REC OPPORTUNITIES TO UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS AND ENHANCING THE COUNTY'S CONTINUITY PROGRAM.
ALL OF THESE WERE CONSIDERED PRIORITY ONES, WHICH WERE, UH, ALIGNING WITH THE BOARD'S GOALS THAT IT, IT DICTATED TO STAFF, UH, IN, IN TERMS OF MAINTAINING, UM, AND, AND RECRUITING A QUALIFIED WORKFORCE.
UH, THERE'S FOUR MAJOR INITIATIVES IN THIS BUDGET.
THERE'S A, UH, A 3%, UH, COST OF LIVING INCREASE FOR ALL COUNTY AND STATE SUPPORTED LOCAL POSITIONS.
UH, IT COVERS EMPLOYEES SHARE OF AN ESTIMATED INCREASE IN, IN OUR EMPLOYEE HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE.
UH, IT PROVIDES THE LOCAL SHARE OF TAR TARGETED COMPENSATION INCREASES FOR SHERIFF AND 9 1 1 COMMISSION DISPATCH STAFF.
UM, AND THAT'S, THAT'S INITIATIVE THAT IS COMING DOWN FROM THE COMMONWEALTH THROUGH THE COMPENSATION BOARD THAT, UH, IS, IS A USE OR LOSE SITUATION, UM, FOR THOSE STATE FUNDS THAT PAY FOR THAT.
UH, THE, AND FINALLY, IT, THIS BUDGET IMPLEMENTS AN ON-CALL PROGRAM FOR, FOR PUBLIC WORK STAFF.
UH, QUICKLY ON THESE OTHER PRIORITIES, ADDRESS THE STRUCTURAL OF IMBALANCE EMS FUND.
WE'VE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT, UH, CONTRACT COMMITMENTS, AGREEMENTS, AND MANDATES ROUGHLY $800,000 IN INCREASED COSTS, UH, JUST BECAUSE OF THOSE CONTRACTS.
209,000 OF THAT IS THE INCREASE IN THE FUNDING THAT WE PROVIDE TO THE AKIMA COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM.
AND THIS CHART, UM, TO THE RIGHT IS, IS THE HISTORY OF FUNDING THAT, LOCAL FUNDING THAT THE BOARD HAS PROVIDED TO, TO FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
UM, IN THIS CASE, IF THIS BUDGET IS APPROVED, IT WILL TAKE THE LOCAL SHARE TO ROUGHLY ABOUT $23.4 MILLION, UM, WHICH IS AN INCREASE OF 209,000.
AND AGAIN, WE TALKED ABOUT THE RAINY DAY FUND IN THAT SCHEDULED DEPOSIT.
IN, IN TERMS OF, UH, COUNTY'S INVESTMENT IN ITS BUILDINGS, EQUIPMENT, AND INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, THERE'S $2 MILLION, UH, SET ASIDE FOR BOATING FACILITY REPAIRS.
WE, WE HAVE 27 WATER ACCESS SITES.
UM, THEY'RE EXPENSIVE TO MAINTAIN.
WE TRY TO DO TWO OR THREE OF THEM EVERY YEAR.
AS IN TERMS OF, OF RENOVATING THEM, UH, THERE'S COUNTY BUILDING AND INFRASTRUCTURE MAINTENANCE THAT NEEDS TO BE FORMED, UH, KEEPING OUR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE CURRENT, UM, VEHICLE HEAVY EQUIPMENT AND LANDFILL EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENT IS ALSO INCLUDED IN THERE.
AND THEN AGAIN, WE HAVE SOME INFLATIONARY COST THAT WE'RE, WE'RE EXPERIENCING.
AND SO THIS, THIS BUDGET DOES ITS BEST TO ADDRESS THOSE IN TERMS OF NEW POSITIONS.
UM, LAST YEAR, WHAT WAS APPROVED BY THE BOARD WAS 300 WAS FUNDING FOR 366 FULL-TIME POSITIONS, FULL-TIME EQUIVALENTS.
UM, THIS BUDGET ADDS FOUR AND A HALF, UM, FTE, UH, FOR SCHOOL RE RESOURCE OFFICERS.
AND THAT BRINGS A TOTAL IN AKIMA COUNTY TO SEVEN.
UM, KIND OF SHOWING YOU WHERE THOSE ARE SPREAD OUT, SIX OF THOSE ARE UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE SHERIFF, AND ONE IS BASICALLY OUTSOURCED TO THE TOWN OF SHIG.
UH, THIS, THIS NUMBER OF SEVEN SROS WILL ALLOW, UH, SRO POSITIONS TO BE IN THE HIGH SCHOOLS AND ALL THE HIGH SCHOOLS.
THEY'LL ALLOW THOSE POSITIONS TO BE FULL-TIME IN OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS, AND THEY WILL ALLOW, UM, THE ROVING OF ADDITIONAL, UM, SROS BETWEEN OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THE SROS THAT ARE PROPOSED, THERE'S ONE POSITION, UH, A COMPLIANCE OFFICER FOR WHAT BASICALLY IS A FEDERAL MANDATE, UM, THAT WE'VE HAD TO TAKE ON FOR EMS DRUG, FOR OUR EMS DRUG BOX PROGRAM, WHICH WE ARE SPEARHEADING NOT ONLY ON BEHALF OF OUR OWN OPERATIONS, BUT ALSO THE OPERATIONS OF OUR VOLUNTEER FIRE AND RESCUE COMPANIES.
SO THAT, THAT'S A GAIN OF 5.5 FTES FOR THE YEAR, WHICH BRINGS A, A TOTAL PROPOSED OF 3 3 71.
SO, UH, WE, WE COVERED A LOT ABOUT THE EXPENDITURE SIDE, BUT NOW LET'S TAKE A, A BRIEF LOOK AT REVENUE.
UM, THIS FIRST TABLE IS A COMPARISON OF FY 20 FIVES TOTAL REVENUE BY CATEGORY TO FY 26 PROPOSED.
THE, THE FIRST NUMBER I'LL CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO IS THIS
[00:25:01]
INCREASE IN PROPERTY TAXES FOR $2.7 MILLION, OR A 6.6% INCREASE.THAT INCLUDES ROUGHLY $2 MILLION.
THAT'S ESTIMATED TO, TO BE, UH, RAISED FROM THE INCREASE IN THE EMS TAX INCREASE.
SO IF, IF THE MSS TAX INCREASE WASN'T INCLUDED IN THIS, IT'D BE ROUGHLY A $729,000 CHANGE IN, IN THE PROPOSED, UM, BUDGET.
UH, THE OTHER, A A COUPLE OTHER NUMBERS JUST TO POINT OUT, UH, A PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE IN OUR INVESTMENT INCOME.
UM, WE CONTINUE TO, TO BENEFIT FROM, UM, UH, THE, THE, HIS HISTORIC INCREASE.
UH, WELL, IT'S ACTUALLY BEEN COMING DOWN.
THE FEDERAL RESERVE'S BEEN BRINGING THE RATE DOWN, BUT UP UNTIL THEN, THERE WAS, UM, THE, THE RATE AVAILABLE FOR INVESTMENT OF OUR, OF OUR RAINY DENGUE FUND AND OTHER FUNDS HAS BEEN, UM, MUCH HIGHER THAN WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE PAST.
WE EXPECT THAT TO START TO COME DOWN.
ALTHOUGH RECENT DISCUSSION ABOUT POSSIBLE ACTIONS FROM THE FEDERAL RESERVE INDICATE THAT THE RATE, THE FED RATE AT LEAST MAY BE LEFT HIGHER FOR A LONGER PERIOD THAN WHAT WE INITIALLY ESTIMATED.
UM, SO THAT'S, THAT ACCOUNTS FOR THE 132% INCREASE IN INVESTMENT INCOME.
OVERALL REVENUES ARE PROJECTED TO GO UP 6.5% WITHOUT THE TAX INCREASE, THEY WOULD BE ROUGHLY HALF THAT.
UM, AGAIN, THAT'S JUST LOOKING AT ALL REVENUE TYPES IN THE COUNTY.
UM, WHEN YOU DRILL INTO OUR GENERAL FUND, WHICH IS THE FUND WHERE MOST OF OUR OPERATIONS ARE, ARE ACCOUNTED FOR, AND, UH, THESE, THIS IS AN HISTORICAL, UH, CHART OF, OF WHAT THE ADOPTED BUDGET IS AND WHAT WE'RE PROJECTED TO, UH, UNDER THE CURRENT PROPOSAL FOR FY 26.
UM, AND AGAIN, JUST A DIFFERENT WAY OF LOOKING AT THAT, THIS CHART IS IN YOUR SLIDE DECK BECAUSE YOU SEE THREE LINES ARE REALLY FAR AHEAD OF ALL THE OTHERS.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR, AGAIN, OUR MAJOR REVENUE STREAMS, REAL ESTATE TAXES, PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES, AND SALES AND USE TAX ARE, ARE TOP THREE.
SO, A AGAIN, UM, LOOKING AT THE GENERAL FUNDS, MAJOR REVENUES, AND, AND WE, WE'VE GIVEN YOU, UH, THREE YEARS OF ACTUAL HISTORY HERE, UM, AND THE FY 25 ADOPTED BUDGET AND WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED NOTE, NOTICE THAT NOW THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT REAL ESTATE TAXES, THERE'S ONLY A $241,000 INCREASE THAT'S PROJECTED.
AND AGAIN, THAT'S BECAUSE THE TAX INCREASE THAT'S BEING PROPOSED IS IN THE EMS FUND, NOT THE GENERAL FUND.
SO IF, IF WE WERE LOOKING AT THE MS FUND'S REVENUE SIDE, WE'D SEE A $2 MILLION INCREASE, ROUGHLY.
BUT AGAIN, THAT FUND IS, IS RESTRICTED TO PAY FOR EMS COST.
UM, AND DOWN HERE YOU SEE THE JUMP IN CIGARETTE TAXES BECAUSE THAT INCREASE IS ALSO PROPOSED.
AND, AND ALL THESE NUMBERS PARTICULARLY, UM, MORE IN DEPTH REVENUE ANALYSIS AND, AND PRO AND EXPLANATION OF ALL THE PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FUNDING.
AND IF, AND IN FISCAL YEAR 2026, YOU CAN, YOU CAN TAKE A DEEPER DIVE INTO THE COUNTY'S ANNUAL FISCAL PLAN, WHICH IS OUT ON OUR WEBSITE.
UM, JUST AS A, A REMINDER, THE BOARD IS PROHIBITED FROM ADOPTING THE ADVERTISED BUDGET TONIGHT.
UM, THE BUDGET CANNOT BE APPROVED BY THE BOARD PRIOR TO APRIL 14TH, 2025 PER CODE OF VIRGINIA.
SO YOU, YOU'VE GOT A SEVEN DAY, UM, NO ACTION PERIOD BETWEEN TONIGHT AND WHEN YOU ACTUALLY CAN ADOPT THE BUDGET.
AND ANOTHER REMINDER IS THAT ANY CHANGE IN THE TAX RATE THAT RESULTS IN A HIGHER RATE WOULD REQUIRE YOU TO HOLD ANOTHER, UM, PUBLIC HEARING AND, AND OF COURSE ADVERTISE FOR THAT.
SO WITH THAT, UM, THAT CONCLUDES MY REMARKS.
THIS PRESENTATION IS OUT ON OUR BOARD DOC SITE FOR DOWNLOAD BY THE PUBLIC, UM, AS WELL AS OTHER, UH, SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS SHOULD THE BOARD OR, OR THE PUBLIC WANT TO EXAMINE THOSE MORE CLOSELY.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR MR. MASON AT THIS TIME? ALRIGHT, IF NOT, UM, AT THIS TIME I WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
UM, AND WHAT I'M GONNA DO IS KIND OF THE SAME THING MR. MASON DID IS, UH, WE'VE HAD TWO, UH, TWO PEOPLE SIGN UP TO SPEAK, AND I BELIEVE THEY BOTH ARE GONNA BE SPEAKING ON HEARING NUMBER ONE, BUT I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND OPEN BOTH UP.
UM, SO IF YOU, IF FIRST ONE I HAVE FOR HEARING NUMBER ONE WOULD BE, UH, MS. AMY SILVA, DID YOU WANNA SPEAK TONIGHT OR DID YOU JUST SIGN UP TO, JUST SIGNED UP? I DIDN'T.
[00:30:01]
BAEZ? YES, SIR.AND YOU, DO YOU, UH, JUST, JUST TO CONFIRM, YOU DID SIGN UP FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING NUMBER TWO, BUT I BELIEVE IN YOUR COMMENTS YOU WERE, UH, COMMENTING ABOUT THE REAL ESTATE TAX.
SO YOU, THIS IS, UH, YOU CAN SPEAK ON EITHER ONE.
SO IF YOU'LL JUST COME TO THE PODIUM, THANK YOU.
AND STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS.
UH, MY NAME IS PEDRO BAEZ, AND I LIVE WITH MY WIFE AT 2 6 3 7 1 REDWOOD ROAD IN ON C**K, ACTUALLY JUST OUTSIDE OF ONLY, BUT THE MAIL ADDRESS SAYS ON C**K.
UM, I COME HERE TO SPEAK, UH, AGAINST THE INCREASED REAL ESTATE TAX RATE, UM, THAT'S BEING PROPOSED FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR.
UM, BUT I WANNA PREFACE MY COMMENTS BY SAYING THAT, UM, NOTHING THAT I'M ABOUT TO SAY SHOULD BE CONSTRUED AS BEING DISPARAGING OF EMS. UH, EMS IS AN ESSENTIAL SERVICE FOR EVERY COMMUNITY AND CERTAINLY FOR ACK COUNTY AND THE EASTERN SHORE AS A WHOLE.
UM, HOWEVER, WHAT I'M OPPOSED TO IS THE MANNER IN WHICH THE SHORTFALL IN E-M-N-E-M-S FUND FINANCES, UH, IS BEING HANDLED.
AND AGAIN, UM, UH, JUST TO PREFACE AGAIN, MY COMMENTS ARE BASED, UM, ON A SHORT ANALYSIS OF MR. MASON'S FEBRUARY 3RD PRESENTATION, SOME OF WHICH I THINK WAS ALREADY DONE HERE AGAIN, AND ALSO BASED ON COMMENTS FROM A MARCH 28TH ARTICLE IN THE EASTERN SHORE POST THAT I HAVE RIGHT HERE.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S RATHER THE, THE, THE, THE RATE INCREASE THAT'S BEING PROPOSED STRIKES ME AS A STOP GAP MEASURE, BECAUSE, AS MR. MASON JUST MENTIONED HERE, AND AS HE WAS QUOTED IN SAYING ON MARCH 28TH, ALSO ON FEBRUARY 3RD, I'M SORRY, IS THAT THE SHORTFALL IN EMS FUNDING, UH, ESSENTIALLY IS NOT SUSTAINABLE.
AND IT'S NOT SUSTAINABLE BECAUSE IT'S LINKED DIRECTLY TO REAL ESTATE AND PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES.
SO ESSENTIALLY WHAT THAT MEANS TO ME, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT ANY POTENTIAL, ANY POTENTIAL NEED OR RATHER, UM, UM, LACK OF FUNDING FOR IN THE EMS FUND AUTOMATICALLY IS GONNA PRECLUDE ANOTHER INCREASE IN PERSONAL PROPERTY, I'M SORRY, IN REAL ESTATE TAXES, BECAUSE STRUCTURALLY, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, EMS, THE EMS FUND IS FUNDED DIRECTLY FROM PERSONAL PROPERTY AND REAL ESTATE TAXES.
SO THAT'S ONE THING THAT I DIS DISAGREE WITH, BECAUSE ESSENTIALLY WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS THAT ANY INCREASE IN THE FUTURE MEANS AN INCREASE IN PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES.
NOW, ONE OTHER THING THAT, UM, UH, I'M SORRY, UH, LEMME JUST COLLECT MYSELF HERE.
IN TERMS OF ALTERNATIVES FOR FUNDING THE EMS FUND, UM, IN, IN THE ARTICLE THAT I, THAT I REFERENCED, SUPERVISOR JEFF PARKS RECOMMENDED LOOKING AT OTHER AREAS, UM, POTENTIALLY IN THE GENERAL FUND AS SOURCES FOR FUNDING THE EMS FUND.
AND I WOULD ADD TO THAT, TAKING ANOTHER LOOK AT THE CIGARETTE TAX.
FROM THE INFORMATION THAT WE JUST SAW ON SCREEN, WE SEEM, TO ME, IT APPEARS TO ME THAT WE HAVE ONE OF THE LOWEST CIGARETTE TAXES IN THE STATE OR IN THE COUNTRY.
AND FRANKLY, I WOULD NOT MIND, I WOULD NOT BE OPPOSED TO HAVING, UH, A LARGER INCREASE IN CIGARETTE TAXES.
IT MIGHT EVEN IN, UM, UH, OCCUR TO SOME PEOPLE TO STOP SMOKING, UH, WHICH MAY MEAN, YOU KNOW, LESS CALLS TO EMS FOR MEDICAL SERVICES.
UM, THE OTHER POSSIBILITY IS, AND AGAIN, I'M REFERRING TO MR. MASON'S FEBRUARY 3RD PRESENTATION, IS THAT THERE IS AN ANTICIPATED INCREASE IN INVESTMENT INCOME THAT MAY BE ANOTHER POTENTIAL SOURCE FOR FUNDING FOR EMS. AND AGAIN, UM, THE RAINY DAY FUND, UM, NO
[00:35:01]
PUN INTENDED, BUT THE SITUATION TODAY SEEMS LIKE, UH, A RAINY DAY SITUATION.SO WITH THAT SAID, I WOULD ENCOURAGE THE, UH, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO CONSIDER ALTERNATIVE WAYS OF FUNDING THE EMS FUND AND RELIEVE, UM, AKIMA COUNTY RESIDENTS OF ANY ADDITIONAL BURDENS ON REAL ESTATE.
JUST BY MY QUICK, UM, ESTIMATE ON LOOKING AT REAL ESTATE TAXES FROM FISCAL YEAR 21 TO FISCAL YEAR 25, THERE'S BEEN ABOUT AN 11% INCREASE DURING THAT TIME PERIOD.
WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED, WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED, AND BY THE WAY, THESE ARE ESTIMATES BASED ON CHARTS THAT MR. MASON PUT TOGETHER.
UM, AND FOR FISCAL YEAR 26, THAT'S ANOTHER 1.77% INCREASE.
SO ALL TOLD, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FROM FISCAL YEAR 21 TO FISCAL YEAR 26, PROPOSED OVER A 13% INCREASE IN REAL ESTATE TAXES.
AND, UM, I'VE HEARD ARGUMENTS, YOU KNOW, THAT WE HAVE SOME OF THE LOWEST TAXES IN THE REGION OR IN THE COMMONWEALTH.
UM, COMPARISONS LIKE THAT, FRANKLY, AND, UM, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT ARE MEANINGLESS TO ME.
UM, WHAT WE NEED TO HEAR ABOUT AND KNOW ABOUT AND CONCERN OURSELVES ABOUT IS NOT WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE REST OF THE, THE STATE OR IN NEIGHBORING STATES, BUT WHAT'S GOING ON HERE IN THIS COUNTY.
SO WITH THAT SAID, THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE THAT DID NOT SIGN UP, BUT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK OR MAKE COMMENTS? IF NOT, I CLOSE THE, UH, COMMENT, PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
MR. CHAIRMAN, COULD YOU ASK THE, UH, COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO CLARIFY HOW RESTRICTED WE ARE IN, IN PAST COLLECTION AND, AND WAYS THAT WE CAN GENERATE REVENUE, FOR EXAMPLE, LIKE, SORRY ABOUT THAT, MR. CHAIRMAN.
WOULD YOU ASK MR. MASON TO, UM, EXPLAIN, UH, VIRGINIA'S DI RULE THAT ALLOWS US, THAT'S DICTATED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF VIRGINIA, THAT ALLOWS US VERY FEW AVENUES, UH, TO, UH, TO RECEIVE, UM, REVENUE TO OPERATE COUNTY GOVERNMENT.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE CIGARETTE TAX 40 CENTS IS ALL WE'RE ALLOWED TO, THAT'S THE MAX 40 CENTS IS THE MAX AND REAL ESTATE TAX AND, AND PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX IS OUR SOURCE OF REVENUE.
WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO, TO, TO GO TO A, UM, INCOME TAX.
SO WOULD YOU ASK HIM TO, TO SHARE THAT? YES, IF YOU WOULD.
I I I THINK YOU REALLY JUST EXPLAINED IT,
YEAH, BUT I MEAN, AND, AND JAN CAN GIVE YOU A MUCH BETTER LEGAL, UH, DEFINITION TO DEAL AND RULE, BUT FOR COUNTY ADMINISTRATORS, IT MEANS YOU CAN ONLY DO WHAT THE CODE ENABLES YOU TO DO.
AND IN THE CASE OF CIGARETTE TAXES, THERE IS A, UH, STATUTORY LIMIT ON THE AMOUNT OF TAX, UH, THE, WHAT THE TAX RATE CAN BE.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT INCREASING THE TAX RATE TO.
SO WE HAVE NO, UH, AUTHORITY TO INCREASE THE TAX BEYOND WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED, UM, AS PART OF THE FY 26 BUDGET AND ITS RATES.
WOULD YOU ALSO EXPLAIN ABOUT THE TAX RATE THAT FAR AS I KNOW WE HAVEN'T RAISED THE RATE, IT'S BECAUSE OF THE VALUE.
BUT YOU, I MEAN, I CAN'T ABOUT THE TAX RATE, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THIS BOARD HAS NOT RAISED THE TAX RATE, UH, FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, REASSESSMENT, UH, AND IT WAS REASSESSMENTS OR THE STATE, THE STATE REASSESSMENT IS WHAT PUSHED EVERYBODY'S UP.
AND THAT'S, AGAIN, THAT'S NOT CONTROLLED BY US, RIGHT? UH, THE, THE BOARD, WOULD YOU EXPLAIN THAT, PLEASE? AND, AND I, I'M NOT PREPARED TO GET INTO THE WEEDS TOO MUCH WITH THAT OTHER THAN TO TELL YOU WHAT YOU, WHAT YOU ALREADY KNOW AND PERHAPS NEEDS TO BE CLARIFIED TO THE PUBLIC, AS THE BOARD HAS BEEN VERY RELUCTANT TO RAISE EITHER REAL ESTATE TAX RATES OR PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX RATES.
UH, AND I'LL START WITH PERSONAL PROPERTY.
THE RATE OF $3 AND 72 CENTS PER $100 OF ASSESSED VALUE HAS PROBABLY BEEN IN PLACE OTHER THAN ONE YEAR WHERE YOU LOWERED IT BECAUSE VALUES SKYROCKETED A FEW YEARS AGO DURING COVID FOR, FOR DECADES.
UM, THE REAL ESTATE TAX RATE HAS BEEN
[00:40:01]
ADJUSTED OVER THE YEARS, MOST, MOSTLY DOWNWARD AS A RESULT OF, UH, REASSESSMENTS OF REAL PROPERTY, WHICH WE ARE REQUIRED BY CODE TO DO ON A PERIODIC BASIS.UM, THERE HAVE BEEN A FEW INCREASES OVER THE YEARS.
MOST HAVE BEEN TARGETED TOWARDS EMS, UM, IN THE PAST.
SO, UM, I MEAN, THAT'S REALLY ALL I CAN OFFER WITHOUT KIND OF PULLING TOGETHER SOME INFORMATION AND, AND, AND ANALYZING IT.
I'D BE GLAD TO REPORT OUT MORE ON THAT IN THE FUTURE.
ELSE? ANYTHING ELSE? QUESTIONS, COMMENTS FOR MR. MASON? ALRIGHT, MR. CHAIR.
THAT'S, ARE WE OPEN DISCUSSION NOW OR YEAH.
SO, UH, FIRST OF ALL, UH, SIR, THANK YOU FOR, FOR COMING, SPEAKING, UM, AND, UH, FOR EVERYONE TO BE HERE TONIGHT.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT'S, I HOPE WE'VE MADE IT CLEAR THAT AS A BOARD WE ARE, UH, RESTRICTED BY STATE LAW AS TO WHAT OUR SOURCES OF REVENUE ARE.
AND SO THERE ARE SPECIFIC CAPS TO THAT.
WE'RE NOT PRECLUDED FROM HOW WE USE OUR GENERAL FUNDS AND HOW WE FUND THE EMS FUND.
UM, I, UH, AS REPRESENTATIVE FOR DISTRICT 4:00 AM FORTUNATE TO HAVE FOUR TOWNS, PARSLEY BLOCKS, 'EM, SACHS AND HALL WOOD, UM, IN MY AREA, BUT ALSO, UH, WHICH THREE OF WHICH HAVE FIRE DEPARTMENTS, ONE OF WHICH, UH, HAS FULL-TIME EMS STAFF.
AND THAT ONE BEING PARTIALLY IS THE BUSIEST OF, OF ALL THE FIRE COMPANIES ON THE SHORE, I BELIEVE CHIEF PRUITT, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.
UM, UH, BUT THAT BEING SAID, I'VE ALSO POLLED, UH, WELL, I WANTED TO ADD THAT.
SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THE $50 PER A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS ASSESSMENT, IF YOU'RE IN A SMALL, A TOWN THAT'S MORE OF A MUNICIPAL ENVIRONMENT, UM, THAT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE A HUGE INCREASE.
BUT WHEN MOST OF YOUR AREA IS FARMLAND, THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE.
THAT IS, THAT IS COMING STRAIGHT OUT OF THE FARMER'S POCKETS.
THAT'S COMING OUT OF THE BUSINESS PEOPLE, THE PEOPLE RENTING AREAS, PEOPLE RENTING HOMES, OR IF YOU'RE RENTING MULTIPLE PROPERTIES, I'VE PULLED MY MAYORS, UH, I'VE GOTTEN AN ANSWER FROM ALL BUT ONE, UH, MY FIRE CHIEFS.
UM, AND NO ONE'S IN FAVOR OF RAISING TAXES AT THIS TIME.
IF THERE'S ANY ABILITY TO, TO TIGHTEN OUR BELT, WHETHER IT BE TO CUT EXPENSES OR AS I'M PROPOSING THAT WE TAKE FUNDS FROM, UM, FROM ONE OF THE, THE CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT SPREAD THAT OUT OVER THREE YEARS.
I WANNA MAKE SURE MY VOICE IS LOUD.
I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT I'M HERE.
UH, THANK YOU MR. CHAIR FOR LETTING ME HAVE THE, UH, FLOOR.
I JUST WANT TO GO ON RECORD TO SAY NOBODY UP HERE ARBITRARILY WANTS TO RAISE THE TAX RATE, BUT IF YOU ARE FACED WITH A DILEMMA AND HINDSIGHT IS ALWAYS 2020 AND BACK, AND I THINK OUR COUNTER ADMINISTRATOR HAS, UH, EXPLAINED THAT VERY WELL BACK IN FY 22, HOW WE RESPONDED TO AND GAVE, UH, RAISE INCREASE TO THOSE LOW, UM, PERSON RESPONDENTS AS FAR AS THE FIRE COMPANIES ARE AND EMS, UH, SERVICES WERE CONCERNED.
UM, WE, I THINK CREATED 11 POSITIONS IF I, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.
AND WE DID THAT WITHOUT A TAX RATE INCREASE.
AND EVIDENTLY, I GUESS MAYBE WE SHOULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING AT THAT JUNCTURE, BUT WE DIDN'T.
AND WE KNEW, I MEAN, HE'S ALREADY SAID IN 2026 THAT WE'VE, WE ARE FACED WITH IT NOW, AND I THINK WE'RE GONNA NEED TO DO SOMETHING.
AND I, I KNOW ONE OF MY COHORTS SAYING THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE NEED TO DO IT FROM THE GENERAL FUND AND WE NEED TO, YOU KNOW, I JUST FEEL NOT THAT I'M A PROPONENT OF RAISING ANY TAX RATE, ESPECIALLY IN THIS CLIMATE, WHEN EVERYTHING IS HIGH, I, WE LIVE IN ACK COUNTY TOO, BUT I GUESS I'M UNDER THE IMP I GUESS I JUST FEEL AT THIS POINT WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING.
AND I THINK THE TIME IS NOW, UH, IF FOLK ARE SO DESPONDENT ABOUT THE TAX RATE, WHERE ARE THEY? WE'VE HAD TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS AND ONLY TWO PEOPLE.
[00:45:02]
AND THE FIRST YOUNG LADY WAS BASICALLY DOING INFORMATIONAL AND NOT NECESSARILY, NECESSARILY, SHE WAS SO AGAINST, AND I UNDERSTAND THE GENTLEMAN'S, UH, FRUSTRATION ABOUT TAX RATES.ONE OUT 33,000 PEOPLE, TWO PEOPLE, IF YOU ARE DESPONDENT, THAT'S WHY WE HAVE PUBLIC HEARINGS.
I'M DESPONDENT THAT YOU HAVEN'T COME OUT IF YOU ARE AGAINST IT.
I I, I WOULD IMPLORE PEOPLE IF YOU DIDN'T WANT THE TAX RATE SHOULD HAVE BEEN HERE.
AND I UNDERSTAND ABOUT THE, UH, INCLEMENT WEATHER TODAY, ABOUT THE RAIN, WHATEVER.
AND I KNOW SOMETIMES THAT COULD BE, BUT IF YOU ARE THAT STRONGLY AGAINST SOMETHING, PEOPLE ARE, I MEAN, EVIDENTLY PEOPLE WHO WERE, UH, AND WA ARICK THE PROTESTORS, THEY'VE BEEN PROTESTING IN WA ARICK WEATHER DIDN'T STOP THEM BECAUSE THEY HAD A, A PASSION.
THEY WANTED THEIR MESSAGE TO COME ACROSS PEOPLE.
UH, DOWN IN NORTH HAMPTON COUNTY, THEY PROTEST SATURDAY.
AGAIN, I SAY IF THE CITIZENS OF MACK COUNTY WAS THAT DESPONDENT ABOUT THIS TAX RATE INCREASE, I SURE HOPE OR YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN HERE, SEND A LETTERS, DONE SOMETHING, BUT ONLY TWO PEOPLE, EITHER 33, THE EYES DOESN'T LOOK GOOD.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS, SUPERVISOR.
ANYTHING ELSE, MR. CHAIR, IF I CAN? UH, YES, ONE MORE.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, AND I, I FAILED TO SAY THIS.
I WANT TO, UH, REITERATE WHAT, WHAT I IMPLIED, BUT I DIDN'T CLEARLY SAY IT.
MY ABSOLUTE STRONG SUPPORT FOR, UH, OUR FULL-TIME EMS STAFF AND OUR VOLUNTEERS.
AND IN NO WAY SHOULD WE TAKE ANY ACTION WHICH WOULD ENDANGER THEIR FUNDING.
UH, AND IN FACT, OUR FUNDING AS A COUNTY HAS INCREASED DURING THE DURATION OF, SINCE, UH, FY 22 WAS ABOUT THE TIME THE FUND WAS SET UP BY ABOUT $6 MILLION, IF I'M READING IT CORRECTLY, BY YEAR ACROSS THE BOARD.
SO WE'VE HAD OPPORTUNITIES TO DEAL WITH THIS WITHOUT RAISING TAXES.
I THINK THAT, I THINK THE GENERAL, I THINK THE EMS FUND IS SOMETHING THAT DESERVES FUTURE CONSIDERATION.
BUT, UM, I, I ALSO DON'T THINK THAT, THAT SINCE WE STREAM THESE EVENTS LIVE, THAT IT'S A, THE, THE MEASURE IS WHETHER, HOW MANY PEOPLE COME TO OUR PUBLIC MEETINGS, UH, AS TO WHETHER WE SHOULD IMPOSE A NEW TAX ON THE CITIZENRY OR NOT.
WE'VE GOT AN OBLIGATION TO LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING ON AMONGST OUR PEOPLE AND AMONGST OUR POPULATIONS AND TRY TO MAKE THE BEST DECISIONS AT RUNNING THE GOVERNMENT, THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT, AS EFFICIENTLY AS WE CAN, AND PROVIDING ESSENTIAL SERVICES, WHICH THESE SERVICES NEED TO BE PRIORITIZED.
SO WE DON'T END UP IN THIS SITUATION AGAIN.
HOWEVER, BASED ON MR. MASON'S CHARTS IN 2027, WE'RE GONNA BE HAVING THE SAME DISCUSSION.
SO WE CAN DO THIS TWICE, OR WE CAN DO THIS ONCE IN 2027.
UH, AND MAYBE IN THE INTERIM WE CAN DEAL WITH THE STRUCTURAL ISSUES, WHICH I STRONGLY SUPPORT THAT, UH, HOWEVER, YOU KNOW, THE CHAIR WANTS TO ADDRESS THAT.
WE NEED TO ADDRESS THE STRUCTURAL ISSUES OF THE EMS FUND.
LET, LET'S DEAL WITH THE FACTS HERE.
BUDGET, BUDGET IN 1 0 1 WILL TELL YOU NEVER USE ONETIME FUNDS FOR RECURRING REVENUES.
ANYWHERE YOU GO, YOU CAN TALK TO ANY CPA WHO WILL HELP YOU PUT A BUDGET TOGETHER AND THEY'LL SEPARATE THE REVENUE RECURRING REVENUES, ONETIME REVENUES, RECURRING EXPENDITURES, ONETIME EXPENDITURES TO TAKE.
IN THIS CASE IT WOULD TAKE $2 MILLION TO TAKE $2 MILLION OUT OF A ONE-TIME FUND TO PUT INTO A HOLE WHERE THERE'S $2 MILLION OF RECURRING EXPENSES.
RECURRING DEBT IS NOT GOOD BUDGET BUDGETING.
IT MAY SOUND GOOD TO THE PUBLIC, WE DON'T NEED TO RAISE TAXES THAT WE TAKE $2 MILLION OUTTA THIS HOLE.
BUT WHAT HAPPENS THERE, THAT $2 MILLION IS SET ASIDE, I THINK IT'S THREE AND A HALF TOGETHER.
THE $2 MILLION IS SET ASIDE FOR A NORTHERN AKIMA COUNTY SOLID WAGE, SOLID WASTE TREATMENT FACILITY.
WE ALL KNOW HOW THAT IS THE STRONGEST AREA OF THE COUNTY TO BRING US IN NEW REVENUE.
WE HAVE TO HAVE SOMETHING, WE HAVE TO HAVE A PROJECT THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO, TO ADVANCE UP THERE TO ATTRACT NEW BUSINESSES.
SO IF WE WERE TO TAKE $2 MILLION OUTTA THAT ONE TIME FUNDING AND PLUG THAT INTO THIS RECURRENT DEBT, THEN WHAT, THEN NEXT YEAR WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO FIND $2 MILLION AGAIN TO PLUG INTO THIS CURRENT DEBT, PLUS FILL THAT HOLE WITH $2 MILLION THAT WE TOOK OUTTA THAT POT THAT NEVER ENDS, THAT, THAT, THAT KEEPS GOING AND GOING AND GOING.
AND AS MY COLLEAGUE AT THE END OF THE TABLE SAID LAST YEAR, UH, I MEAN LAST, UH, AFTER OUR LAST MEETING AND I WERE TALKING, THAT'S, THAT'S ROBBING PETER TO PAY PAUL.
[00:50:01]
THAT NEVER ENDS.WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THIS WITH, WITH RECURRING REVENUE.
AND FOR THE GENTLEMAN THAT SPOKE AGAINST THE TAX INCREASE, I'D JUST LIKE TO, TO GIVE HIM SOME NUMBERS.
IF WE DO NOT PLUG THIS HOLE WITH RECURRING REVENUE, WE WILL HAVE TO CUT STAFF BY 40%.
IF WE DO NOT FILL THIS HOLE WITH RECURRING REVENUE, 2020 POSITIONS WILL HAVE TO BE ELIMINATED.
RIGHT NOW, WE ARE IN THE POSITION TO FULLY STAFF GREEN BLACKVILLE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN YEARS THAT WILL BE GONE.
IT WILL AFFECT OTHER, UH, EMS, UH, STATIONS.
SO, YOU KNOW, LET'S, LET'S LOOK AT REALITY HERE.
YOU DO NOT TAKE ONE TIME FUNDING TO REPLACE OR TO FILL IN A GAP OF RECURRING EX EXPENDITURES.
PLAIN AND SIMPLE, YOU DON'T DO IT.
'CAUSE NEXT YEAR YOU HAVE TO DO THE SAME THING AND ON AND ON AND ON.
UH, AND MR. CHAIRMAN, THAT'S, THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
THANK YOU MR. ALRIGHT, LET'S LOOK AT OUR NEXT MEETING.
UM, SO, UH, WE WERE LOOKING AT APRIL 14TH AS OUR NEXT MEETING.
THAT IS SEVEN DAYS FROM TODAY.
UM, MR. MASON, DO YOU SEE A PROBLEM OR DOES ANYBODY ON THE BOARD SEE A PROBLEM JUST TO MOVE THAT TO OUR REGULAR, UM, MONTHLY MEETING ON THE 16TH? IS THAT A ISSUE OR COULD THAT BE AN ISSUE? WELL, WE'VE, WE'VE ADVERTISED THE 14TH.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR NEXT MEETING, UM, TO, AND CONTINUE THIS DISCUSSION WE'VE HAD TONIGHT, UH, ON APRIL 14TH, UH, AT THE BOARD CHAMBERS AT FIVE O'CLOCK.
AND, AND THAT WILL BE THE FIRST MEETING WHERE YOU ARE ABLE TO, TO ADOPT THE BUDGET OR, OR ADOPT THE TAX RATES AT THE BOARD'S.
UM, WHILE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MEETINGS, JUST ONE OTHER, UH, ITEM THAT I HAD ON THE AGENDA ABOUT FUTURE MEETINGS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE BUDGET OR TAX RATES, BUT I DID WANT TO, I I DID WANT TO JUST EMPHASIZE THAT, UH, THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR THE PROPOSED CHANGE IN THE RUE DISTRICT POLLING PLACE, UH, THERE'S SOME VERY STRICT, UH, REQUIREMENTS UNDER THE CODE ABOUT NOTICE.
AND, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO DO IS JUST USE THIS, THIS MEETING AS ANOTHER AVENUE.
I MEAN, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE ARTICLES, UM, RUNNING ON THE COUNTY WEBSITE.
WE HAVE, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A, UM, I THINK WE ALREADY HAD THE ADVERTISEMENT FOR THE, THE, UM, PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD AND THE ASSOCIATED PUBLIC HEARING AS, UH, FOR, FOR THAT PROPOSED LOCATION CHANGE.
BUT AGAIN, I, I JUST WANTED TO USE THE TIME I HAD AT THE PODIUM HERE TO, TO REMIND FOLKS THAT THERE'S A 30 DAY PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD CONCERNING THAT POLLING PLACE LOCATION.
IT BEGINS APRIL 22ND, 2025 AND CONCLUDES ON MAY 21ST, 2025.
AND THEN IT'LL BE THAT EVENING, YOU WILL HOLD YOUR PUBLIC HEARING, UM, REGARDING THAT MEASURE.
AND THEN YOU HAVE TO WAIT, THE OTHER PART OF THE CODE REQUIREMENT SAYS YOU HAVE TO WAIT 30 DAYS FOLLOWING THE CONCLUSION OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, UM, BEFORE THOSE CHANGES IF YOU APPROVE THEM, BECOME EFFECTIVE.
SO AGAIN, THE, THE PURPOSE WAS JUST TO, TO ANNOUNCE THE, THE, THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
WE'LL BE OPENING ON APRIL 22ND AND RUN FOR 30 DAYS, FOLLOWED BY A HEARING.
MR. UH, LAST THING ON THE AGENDA IS 4.1.
WE ADJOURN A MOTION LY SECOND.