Board of Supervisors Prioritizes Public Safety in Upcoming Budget

On Tuesday night, March 26th, 2024, the Warren County Board of Supervisors authorized the County Administrator to advertise a real estate tax at $0.54 from $0.49, an increase of 10%. And a personal property tax rate of $4.36 from $4.00, an increase of 9%. Several supervisors cited funding for police and fire and rescue as concerns driving the rates.

The Warren County Fire and Rescue Department has requested nine positions along with appropriate equipment to be filled. The Warren County Sheriff’s Office has requested the funding of four previously approved but unfunded deputies along with appropriate equipment. The Warren County Public School System has also requested additional funding in 2025.

Under the watchful eye of departmental staff, below, the board of supervisors gets back down to budget business at its March 26 work session. According to County Administrator Ed Daley, it was their 19th budget-focused work session as Fiscal Year-2025 approached. Royal Examiner Photos Roger Bianchini

Recently, the Board of Supervisors identified a Fire and Rescue strategic plan, including increased public safety staffing and a Fire and Rescue funding task force, as its top goals.

Additionally, the Board has requested the development of a five-year public safety needs assessment plan as another top priority goal. “The board has identified public safety as its top priority. We have heard the public’s needs and have heard the calls of the public to properly fund those needs,” said Vicky Cook, Fork District Supervisor.

Rich Jamieson, North River District Supervisor, stated, “We are in a highly unusual situation with revenue going down while inflationary pressures are driving costs up. We are facing a wider gap that poses higher challenges than the normal case in which increasing revenues are allocated to increasing costs. In this situation, the status quo of funding increases across the board is not likely, especially in light of the dire situation we find ourselves in concerning public safety needs.”

Warren County has not had a real estate tax increase since 2019. And has not had a personal property tax increase since 2009. The cumulative inflation rate from 2019 through 2023 was roughly 20%. The advertised rate may be lowered after a public hearing on April 9th, 2024. After the public hearing, a final vote will be taken, and the tax rates will be set for the next fiscal year.

(From a release by the County Administrative Office.)