Loudoun Board Finalizes Budget, Sets Tax Rate at $1.235

The Loudoun Board of Supervisors settled on a $1.8 billion budget that results in a tax cut for the average homeowner in the county, but which also leaves the school system with the burden of filling a roughly $22 million gap. The approved budget amounts to a $200 tax cut for a home valued at $401,710, the current county average.

Residents speaking prior to the board’s vote pleaded primarily on behalf of accelerating funding for Lovettsville Park and restoring both the urban horticulturalist that leads the Master Gardener program and the county’s energy manager. Supervisors responded by restoring the energy manager and accelerating the park’s planned construction from 2014 to 2015, but the horticulturalist was denied.

The decisions on the budget, the appropriations resolution, accelerating Lovettsville Park and the capital construction plan came on 7-2 votes with Supervisors Eugene Delgaudio (R-Sterling) and Suzanne Volpe (R-Algonkian) both expressing concerns that the board did not cut taxes enough for county residents.

“We cannot ignore the debt that is looming over our heads,” Volpe said. “We were elected for the purpose of making hard choices. I believe he next three and a half years this board will truly have to take a stand, look beyond what is popular and do what is necessary.”

Supervisor Ken Reid (R-Leesburg) voted against the $1.235 per $100 real estate tax rate along with Delgaudio and Volpe, he said, for a different reason: his concern that the school system was being underfunded. Dulles Supervisor Matt Letourneau (R) also expressed concerns about possible shortchanging the school system, but neither put forth a motion to increase school funding.

Other supervisors also suggested that more cuts would come in future years after board members had more time to carefully analyze potential cuts and after the county’s Commission of Government Reform, currently working on cost-saving proposals, makes its recommendations.

“We have many other ideas,” said Supervisor Ralph Buona, who explained that he ultimately would like to cut anything that is not “inherently government.”

Supervisors voted 6-3 to restore the energy manager, with those voting in favor saying they at least needed more time before making that cut. The school system has four similar positions that supervisors said they’d hope to share in the future. The person in the job negotiates energy rates and finds efficiencies in the county’s network of properties. Supervisor Shawn Williams (R-Broad Run) voted along with Delgaudio and Volpe against the energy manager.

Volpe expressed surprise that no one else in the county administration could perform the same functions, which Delgaudio described as simply adding a paragraph to contracts.

“It’s my belief that this position more than pays for itself,” Buona said. “We need somebody looking out for the county’s self interest in this particular case.”

Eastern supervisors said they were willing to accelerate construction of Lovettsville Park because it would alleviate demand on ball fields in the east, and after Supervisor Geary Higgins (R-Catoctin) helped identify an estimated $3 million in savings.

However, the board majority was unwilling to reconsider the elimination of the urban horticulturalist, which heads up the Master Gardener programs roughly 200 volunteers. Volpe, Delgaudio, Buona, Letourneau and Williams voted against County Chairman Scott K. York’s motion to restore the position.

“The solidarity and support and efforts behind this cause lead me to believe this program will continue,” Williams said, noting the number of speakers requesting the position be restored. “I have no doubt. What that tells me is this program will continue regardless of whether it is funded with county tax dollars.”

As for the school system, it remained unclear whether the state budget would help cover some of the anticipated school budget gap. Supervisors were hopeful.

The board cancelled its meeting Wednesday after completing all work on the budget March 3.