Stafford County supervisors had their sights set firmly on Richmond on Tuesday night.
The Board of Supervisors agreed to move the date on which they’re scheduled to vote on the county budget for the next fiscal year and to oppose the expansion of collective bargaining for public sector workers — both moves based on actions at the recently adjourned Virginia General Assembly session.
The supervisors were scheduled to vote on the budget April 21. But they decided to take one week longer — and vote April 28 — because state lawmakers haven’t finalized the next state spending plan yet. That means county financial staff doesn’t know how much state revenue will be coming to Stafford in the budget that goes into effect July 1.
Rock Hill District Supervisor Crystal Vanuch told her colleagues that the state has been saying, “‘Oh, we might have a budget on the 28th, it might be the beginning of May.’ But I don’t think we’re anywhere close to being able to vote, and I think anything we can do to give ourselves at least another week’s time would benefit everyone.”
Board Vice Chair Maya Guy, a former vice chair of the county school board, said she was worried that a later date would cause extra work for the school system, which must get teacher contracts ready after an education budget is approved.
But Vanuch’s thinking won out. She said waiting until April 28 at least gives the county more time to get more information about what state lawmakers are going to do.
If “we vote on the 21st, we’re going to have no idea what the state’s going to do,” she said. “No idea. No clue.”
Stafford County Administrator Bill Ashton last month proposed a $1.12 billion local government budget for the next fiscal year that would increase the real-estate tax rate by 6 cents.
The spending plan calls for raising the tax rate from the current figure of $0.9236 per $100 of assessed value to $0.985. And the county fire levy also would go up, from $0.0131 per $100 of valuation to $0.014.
Also on Tuesday, the supervisors voted 5-1 in favor of a resolution that officially opposes House Bill 1263 and Senate Bill 378, legislation approved in the General Assembly that would expand collective bargaining for public sector workers.
Those bills are awaiting action from Gov. Abigail Spanberger, and the supervisors’ move includes a direction to alert Spanberger about how the legislation could affect Stafford. Spotsylvania County has already taken a similar vote.
It’s unclear exactly how much money the legislation could cost Stafford. But Anthony Toigo, Stafford’s intergovernmental affairs manager, told the supervisors last week that the bills, if signed into law, could cost the county “tens of millions of dollars” or more.
Garrisonville District Supervisor Pamela Yeung cast the sole vote against the Stafford resolution. Falmouth District Supervisor Kecia Evans was away from the discussion when the vote was held.
Yeung said she respects the notion of controlling the fiscal impact of the legislation, but she said it’s good for public employees to be able to “chart their own course” and have a “voice at the table.”
“So I think collective bargaining is about structure,” she said. “It’s about fairness, mutual responsibility, dignity and respect.”
