Albemarle to hold final budget hearing

The Albemarle County Board of Supervisors will hold its last public hearing tonight on its proposed $331.4 million budget. The board, however, is not expected to make a final decision on the budget and the real-estate tax rate until April 9.
Supervisors are weighing a proposed $331.4 million spending plan for fiscal 2009 in a budget season that has seen school officials lobby for more money and some anti-tax residents argue against any increase. The current real-estate tax rate is 68 cents per $100 assessed value and that’s what County Executive Robert W. Tucker Jr. proposed.
The board has advertised a real-estate tax rate of 71 cents per every $100 of assessed value, three cents more than the county executive’s recommended rate. The adopted rate will have to be equal to or less than 71 cents. The board cannot raise it beyond that, per state law.
This year’s budget battle has focused on the county school system, which is seeking to deal with a shrinking revenue picture to fund its more than $151 million proposed budget. With a slowing economy, though, tax-increase opponents have said that the county should learn to live within its means.
The meeting will take place at 6 p.m. at the County Office Building at 401 McIntire Road in Charlottesville.