The Prince William Board of County Supervisors approved a $857 million budget Tuesday that included a 15-cent reduction in the real estate property tax.
The new tax rate of 75.8 cent per $100 of assessed value will result in an increase of 5.73 percent on the average tax bill. Tax bills throughout Northern Virginia are on the rise due to increased assessments.
“Even with that [reduction], we will still be able to fully fund the schools and almost 50 [new] firemen and policemen and allocate funds for major transportation projects,” said Board Chairman Sean Connaughton.
The supervisors approved more than $401 million toward the School Board’s $740 million budget. The schools budget includes a focus on recruitment of new teachers, pay raises and finishing construction on three new schools, said Phil Kavits, Prince William County Schools spokesman.
The budget also includes a $4 million full-day kindergarten program that Supervisor John Stirrup, R-Gainesville, said could have been cut to decrease county spending.
Kavits called the program “an essential investment in Prince William County and its students” and said the school system has already seen progress in students enrolled in the program.
Stirrup said he would continue to “scale back” future budgets.
“Since 2000, our budget has increased by 123 or 124 percent. … I don’t think you can have a discussion about giving taxpayers any kind of tax relief if the government continues to expand at that pace,” he said.
The general fund’s budget has increased by 12.03 percent since last year, including federal, state and other funding. The budget has increased by 13.53 percent.
The county’s police, fire and sheriff’s departments are slated to get $140 million, which allows for 24-hour staffing at the Gainesville and River Oaks firehouses and 20 police officers.
