West Nova News

Loudoun County issued the following announcement on Feb. 10.

County Administrator Tim Hemstreet has presented a proposed budget  for the Loudoun County government to the Board of Supervisors for Fiscal  Year 2022 (FY 2022), which begins July 1, 2021. The budget totals $3.3  billion in appropriations for the county government and Loudoun County  Public Schools (LCPS).

Proposed Budget

The  proposed budget has been prepared at a real property tax rate of $1.005  per $100 of assessed value, three cents below the current real property  tax rate of $1.035 per $100 of assessed value. Although the Board of  Supervisors’ guidance to the County Administrator was to prepare a  budget at a real property tax rate of one cent above the overall  equalized rate, Hemstreet said “positive shifts” in the revenue picture  that occurred after the Board’s final guidance and a  lower-than-anticipated budget request from LCPS prompted him to prepare a  budget at a lower tax rate—one-half cent above the overall equalized  rate.  

“Prepared at the tax rate of $1.005, the proposed budget  provides for what I believe are the necessary positions and funding to  maintain or—in key strategic areas, enhance—service levels for the  county government, open new facilities and compensate employees at a  market rate, as well as position the organization to support the Board  of Supervisors’ priorities,” Hemstreet said.

The priorities for  the FY 2022 proposed budget include employee pay, opening new  facilities, supporting the county’s Capital Improvement Program (CIP)  and the Board’s strategic initiatives and providing resources to county  government departments to support their top priorities. 

The FY 2022 proposed budget includes: 

• Restoration  of the $60 million COVID-19 revenue uncertainty reserve included in the  FY 2021 adopted budget and an additional increase of approximately $97  million (10.3%) in local tax funding to LCPS, which fully funds the LCPS  budget request. 
• $9.5 million in base budget adjustments to  continue to provide current services, including increases in contracts  and ongoing maintenance agreements, lease and utility increases and  inflationary impacts. 
• An increase of $12.4 million in total for employee compensation, which consists of: 
  • $9.4 million to provide a 3% merit increase and a step increase for public safety employees; and 
  • $3.0 million to continue the implementation of the new classification and compensation system.
• The  addition of 150 positions in 21 different county departments to open  new facilities, maintain or enhance current service levels, support the  county’s CIP and position the organization to pursue the Board’s  strategic priorities.
• An increase of $45.3 million to fund debt service and capital needs of the county government and LCPS.

Factors Shaping the Proposed Budget 

The  proposed FY 2022 budget was developed in an economic climate unlike any  other year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Significant factors  influencing development of the budget include: 

• Board Initiatives:  The FY 2022 proposed budget includes resources that align with the  Board’s strategic priorities for its term: Open Space and Environment,  Connecting Loudoun, Collective Bargaining, Equitable Communities and  Economic Development.  
• COVID-19: Maintaining  regular or modified operations during the COVID-19 pandemic has placed  significant strain on departments and agencies in areas such as  management and administrative capacity. 
• Organizational Capacity:  Consistent with recent years, the capacity of the county organization  to onboard a significant number of new positions was carefully  considered to ensure resources included in the proposed budget are  feasible. 
• Population Growth: The county’s  population continues to grow at a rate of about 10,000 additional  residents every year, which brings new and increased demands on county  programs and services.

The FY 2022 proposed budget also  includes funding for Loudoun County’s operating and capital subsidy  payments to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority due to  the anticipated start of Metrorail’s Silver Line revenue service in  Loudoun County during FY 2022. 

Capital Improvement Program (CIP)

The  Amended FY 2021-2026 Capital Improvement Program (CIP), which includes  both county and school projects, totals $3.2 billion for the six-year  planning period. The category with the largest expenditure percentage is  transportation projects at 37%, followed by school projects at 26%,  which incorporates the School Board’s adopted capital plan and  accommodates all requested school projects. 

New projects include  the Arcola Quarters for the Enslaved, which will restore an existing  historic site in Arcola to a passive and educational recreation  facility, and the local match for the FEMA grant to mitigate flooding  issues in Selma Estates. 

The CIP also calls for accelerating  critical Board priorities, including the Western Loudoun Recreation  Center and the Remote Site Connectivity project, which expands broadband  to five county sites, also in western Loudoun.

Tax Rates Summary 

The  proposed budget is balanced at the real property tax rate of $1.005 per  $100 of assessed value. Hemstreet also provided the Board with two  additional tax rate scenarios for their consideration: at one cent below  and at one-half cent above the tax rate of the proposed budget.

Hemstreet  has advertised a real property tax rate of $1.010, which provides the  Board with flexibility to consider additional county government  priorities; the LCPS budget request is fully funded at the $1.005 tax  rate. 

The Board of Supervisors will determine the final real  property tax rate and related budget policy decisions during March  budget work sessions with adoption of the FY 2022 budget expected at the  Board’s business meeting April 6, 2021.

Public Participation

There  are several ways in which members of the public may participate in the  budget process, including Board of Supervisors public hearings, email,  voice messages and social media. The Board will hold three public  hearings on the proposed FY 2022 budget. The hearings are scheduled  for: 

• Tuesday, February 23, 2021, 3:00 p.m., Board Room, Loudoun County Government Center, 1 Harrison Street SE, Leesburg
• Tuesday, February 23, 2021, 6:00 p.m., Board Room, Loudoun County Government Center, 1 Harrison Street SE, Leesburg
• Saturday, February 27, 2021, 9:00 a.m., Board Room, Loudoun County Government Center, 1 Harrison Street SE, Leesburg

Anyone  who wishes to speak at the public hearings may sign up in advance for  one speaking slot, beginning Thursday, February 11, 2021, by calling  703-777-0204. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, speakers are encouraged to  provide comments remotely. 

The public hearings will be available  for viewing on Comcast Government TV Channel 23 and Verizon FiOS Channel  40. They will also be webcast at loudoun.gov/meetings.

Members of the public may also: 

• Leave a message on the Board of Supervisors’ Comment Line at 703-777-0115.
• Send an email to the Board of Supervisors or write to the Board of Supervisors, P.O. Box 7000, Leesburg, VA 20177.
• Provide comments through the Loudoun County government’s Facebook and Twitter sites.

For More Information

More  information, including the FY 2022 proposed budget, the County  Administrator’s FY 2022 budget presentation, the schedule for Board of  Supervisors budget work sessions and the Board’s Finance/Government  Operations and Economic Development Committee’s CIP work sessions, is  posted on the Loudoun County website at loudoun.gov/budget.  

Original source can be found here.