Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, April 5, 1990 TAG: 9004060678
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: E1 EDITION: EAST
SOURCE: BETSY BIESENBACH SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Vinton Town Council, during its regular meeting Tuesday, voted to reduce the real-estate tax rate by 1 cent to 5 cents per $100 of value. The personal-property tax rate is $1 per $100 of value.
The decrease in the tax rate is in conjunction with an average 9 percent increase in assessments, said Town Manager George Nester. A 1979 state tax-reform bill requires that tax rates be lowered if an increase in assessments results in more than a 1 percent increase in revenue for the town. This keeps homeowners' taxes from going up each time property is reassessed.
The rate decrease and the increase in assessment will result in tax bills going down by 17 percent.
For instance, property valued at $100,000 this year and taxed at this year's rate of 6 cents per $100 of value would have a tax bill from the town of $60. The same property, assessed at $109,000 for the 1990 tax year, and taxed at 5 cents per $100 of value, would have a tax bill of $54.50.
Taxes on an automobile valued at $10,000 would be $10.
Earlier in the meeting, Jack Wainwright and Jean DeLong, who operate businesses in the downtown area, asked council to consider stiffer penalties for those who ignore time limits for on-street parking spaces.
A few merchants and their employees have been parking in these spaces all day, Wainwright said, making it difficult for shoppers to find a place to park downtown.
Town Attorney Frank Selbe presented two resolutions to council. One would allow police to immobilize or tow away the vehicles of violators, and the that would impose stiffer fines.
The main objective of the ordinances, he said, is to catch "repeat offenders," those who leave cars in one-hour parking spaces for several hours and pay the $5 ticket because it is "cheap parking."
Council rejected the towing ordinance on the grounds that it might discourage shoppers from coming downtown.
"I think maybe the towing is not the thing," DeLong agreed. "I think maybe a stiffer fine would work."
"It's hard to devise something to encourage someone to voluntarily comply," Selbe said.
Council voted unanimously for the increased penalties. For a first violation, the offender would receive a standard $5 ticket. For the second violation within seven consecutive days, the fine would be raised to $15. For subsequent violations within the same consecutive seven days, the penalty would range from $25 to $100.
Several council members raised concerns about whether the police department is adequately staffed for such an operation.
Nester also read a letter the town will send to Roanoke County Administrator Elmer Hodge, concerning the new landfill that is expected to open when the current one is filled.
The town was offered the choice of taking a seat on the new board that will manage the landfill, or of using the landfill on a contract basis and paying a premium in addition to the regular fee for using the landfill.
Nester said town officials chose to take the seat because the amount of the premium has not been established. Having a representative on the board will give Vinton a voice in the operation of the landfill. The total cost for starting up the landfill is estimated at $22 million. Vinton's share of that amount will be $1.1 million.
by CNB