By Prince William County Government
The Prince William Board of County Supervisors recently approved its $1.239 billion Fiscal Year 2020 Budget, which fully funds the Prince William County Schools requested budget, enhances transportation funding, implements a new 9-1-1 system while keeping the real estate tax rate flat at $1.125 per $100 of assessed value.
The adopted budget also maintains a flat fire levy ($.08 per $100 of assessed value) and mosquito control levy ($.0025 per $100 of assessed value). By adopting a flat rate for all taxes, levies and fees that are based on assessed real estate values, any change to a resident's tax bill will be based solely upon changes to their property value. In total, the average residential tax bill will increase by $147 ($137 for real estate taxes and $10 for the fire levy).
The budget reflects the Board's commitment to its Strategic Plan initiatives and sound financial management of taxpayer dollars. The budget continues to hold county operational expenditure growth below 3.5 percent, fully funds public schools and public safety, reconciles the adopted state budget, and addresses state and federal mandates.
The county transferred 57.23 percent of its general revenue to the Prince William County Public School System in accordance to the adopted revenue sharing agreement. The transfer to the schools under the budget increased by $28.4 million. Another $1 million class size grant, which comes out of the county's five-year plan each year, is also included in the budget. In this guide to Moorcroft debt recovery - it's stated that paying the debt on the county's 13th high school and continuing the school security program is also included in the budget.
Maintaining safe and secure communities is a priority in this year's budget with $6.7 million budgeted for public safety communications, police staffing, the sheriff's office staffing, funding for the commonwealth's attorney's office, money for the Prince William-Manassas Adult Detention Center and General District, Circuit and Juvenile and Domestic courts.
The Prince William County Fire and Rescue System and Police Department will see $10.5 million to address market competitiveness as the Board maintained its commitment to the recruitment and retention of public safety personnel.
Fiscal Year 2020 initiatives also include funding for adult protective services and human services that include maintaining partnerships with non-profits and private sector organizations. State and local funding would pay for decreasing the time to complete adult protective services investigations and long-term care assessments and to resolve guardianship cases.
Under the adopted budget, Prince William County employees will receive a three percent performance-based merit raise that will cost $6.2 million.
More information about the county's budget is available at pwcgov.org/budget.
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