As Fredericksburg’s mayor, Kerry Devine often hears from constituents who tell her they’re on a fixed income and therefore can’t afford higher tax rates.
As a high school teacher, Devine understands their circumstances.
“I’ve been on a fixed income my entire career,” she said during Tuesday’s city council work session. “There’s no bonuses, no overtime. So I get it. But I also know that every day we get requests for more safety, better response times, even beautification. All of those things that we take pride in cost money.”
Following a lengthy discussion, city council agreed in principle to advertise a five-cent increase in the real estate tax rate for the Fiscal Year 2027 budget. Once that rate is advertised, it can be lowered but not increased.
A public hearing on the budget is set for April 21.
As part of a presentation, city Director of Finance Amanda Six showed a slide showing Fredericksburg’s portion of revenue that comes from real-estate taxes compared to neighboring jurisdictions. Just 36% of the city’s revenue comes from real estate taxes, compared to 55% in Stafford County, 59% in Prince William County and 50% in Spotsylvania County.
City manager Tim Baroody’s recommended budget calls for a four-cent increase, identical to the bump in last year’s approved budget.
“I think four pennies two years in a row is a lot to ask for folks,” offered at-large Councilor Will Mackintosh.
Press the Issue
Fredericksburg City Council will hold a public hearing on the real estate tax rate and FY2027 on April 21 at 7 p.m. Residents who wish to speak do not have to sign up prior but may want to contact the Council Clerk, Brenda Martin at bmartin@fredericksburgva.gov or call (540) 372-1022.
According to Six, an 8% increase in water and sewer fees is needed to balance the water and wastewater funds. For the average user, that works out to about $6 more per month or $12 per two-month billing period. EMS fees are also set to increase by 2%.
Next week, city council will discuss a proposal to introduce tiered water and sewer rates for different classes of users. Those rates would impose additional fees on large users, Mackintosh said.
Ward 1 Councilor Matt Rowe asked how much adjustments to the state budget will affect local spending. In particular, state formulas such as the Local Composite Index factor into funding for city schools. The Fredericksburg City School Board and city council will hold a joint work session at 6 p.m. on April 7.
“The state budget might be a little bit better for us,” Assistant City Manager Mark Whitley said. “With a caveat. That’s a very squishy answer for you.”
Council didn’t discuss many specific line items on Tuesday, but Vice Mayor Chuck Frye Jr. (Ward 4) cited his desire to install cameras in all city parks following a shooting near Dixon Park last week. Frye said he didn’t know how much the measure would cost but believes it would be worth a nominal bump in the tax rate.
“I’m willing to explain to the taxpayers that this penny is for safe parks,” Frye said.
