Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, March 18, 1990 TAG: 9003162463
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: PETER MATHEWS NEW RIVER VALLEY BUREAU
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG LENGTH: Medium
Last month the supervisors advertised a real estate tax rate of 81 cents per $100 of assessed valuation - a 5-cent increase. They also proposed a $25-per-ton tipping fee at the county landfill, cut $268,000 from the $39.6 million school budget request and calculated that beefed-up collection of delinquent taxes would bring in another $1.3 million.
The $57.85 million budget is an 8.7 percent increase over last year's.
So far, the supervisors say, they have heard little comment about the budget from their constituents. They will get a chance to hear more during a public hearing at 7:30 p.m. Monday at Blacksburg High School.
"We want the public there to tell us what they're thinking," said board Chairwoman Ann Hess.
For now, board members say they have more cutting to do before the budget is adopted March 27.
"I think we need to keep working on our county budget and look for areas where we can realize some cost savings," said Supervisor Todd Solberg, who added that government agencies such as the Public Service Authority should become self-supporting by raising user fees.
"I think it's too big," said Supervisor Joe Stewart. "I think there should be something done with the school budget. Some programs could be cut down some, some could be cut plumb out. It wouldn't hurt the system a bit."
Stewart was the only supervisor among six interviewed who said he had heard much from his constituents about the budget. They oppose the tax increase, he said.
So do members of the Montgomery Taxpayers' Association, who met Monday night. Ward Teel, an association board member and former state delegate, polled the 25 people at the meeting. Everyone present, most of whom were 55 or older, opposed the tax increase.
Jim Williams, president of the association, also criticized the school budget, which seeks a boost of nearly 14 percent in local funding.
"You don't become more efficient with more money," he said. "You become more efficient with just enough money."
But School Superintendent Harold Dodge said the proposed $268,000 cut in the system's request is likely to hamper plans to expand Writing to Read, foreign language and art programs in elementary schools.
Solberg, a staunch supporter of the school budget, said such programs are important; the problem is that it takes many years to see the results. But an educated work force is vital to lure economic development, he said.
School officials guessed correctly that the General Assembly would mandate a 5 percent pay increase for teachers in the next year. The budget also includes 7.2 percent raises for principals and 6 percent increases for other administrators.
The supervisors don't appear willing to go along with the 5-cent tax increase, though, and some don't support a tax boost at all.
Ira Long, who generally votes with Supervisors Stewart and Henry Jablonski on budget issues, said there may be little opponents of the tax boost can do.
"When you're on the minority side you don't have much say," he said.
Supervisors Jablonski and James Moore noted that budget requests exceed the national inflation rate, which has been running at less than 5 percent.
Asked if a tax increase is inevitable, Moore said, "A slight tax increase is fairly likely. I hope we can keep it down."
Correspondent Kim Sunderland also provided information for this report.
by CNB