The Albemarle Board of Supervisors will vote next week on a revised budget proposal almost 10 percent less than last year’s, Albemarle County spokesperson Lee Catlin said. The proposal will reduce several areas of spending because of the economic recession.
Scaling back school programs, reducing police funds and delaying capital projects will make up the $30 million difference between the two years’ budgets, said David Slutzky, chairman of the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors. Last year’s budget allowed for $333.7 million worth of expenditures, while this year’s proposal calls for $307.7 million.
Slutzky said the recession not only reduced county revenue, but also dried up the federal and state money that would normally support localities. To account for the reductions, 55 County positions would be frozen according to the proposed budget, Slutzky said, adding that remaining personnel would take on extra work without extra pay.
“The challenge is to provide essential services when voters don’t want to see taxes go up,” Slutzky said.
The property tax rate, meanwhile, will increase from 71 cents to 74.2 cents per $100 of assessed value according to the proposal, although Slutzky said County staff estimated that the tax rate would have to increase to 90 cents per $100 of assessed value to maintain last year’s level of services. Both Catlin and Slutzky said the average homeowner will still pay the same amount as last year because of decreasing property values.
The local police’s budget, meanwhile, will see cuts. The County would freeze three positions according to the proposal, Albemarle Police Lieut. Todd Hopwood said. Moreover, the police will have to extend the life of police vehicles, put more officers in each car and have injured officers take phone calls. Hopwood also said funds for gas consumption, replacements for old uniforms and ammunition supplies have been cut.
“The police department was running very efficiently before,” Hopwood said. “We’re trying not to affect the quality of services, but things get cut.”
Social service agencies also will be affected, Slutzky said, noting that those agencies’ budgets have flat-lined. Unfortunately, because of the economic recession, Slutzky said applications for food stamps have nearly doubled this year.
Nearly $100 million of capital infrastructure projects like libraries and renovations will also be delayed or canceled because of the recession and its impact on the County’s budget, Slutzky added.
These delays, cancellations and reductions in service may affect University students in minor ways, Catlin said, but no more so than the average citizen. Students who use County parks might see lower standards of maintenance, and swimming beaches like Chris Green Lake likely will have shorter hours. It is also possible that students and other local residents will have to wait in longer lines at County offices because of staff shortages.
Slutzky said the budget cuts will affect lower-income area residents more than students.
“The quality of provision of services disproportionately harms the most disadvantaged people,” Slutzky said.
With no expectation of a quick economic recovery, Albemarle County may see another year of decreased revenue in 2010.
“The budget is so barebones [this year], the next round of cuts would affect core services like police and teachers,” Slutzky said.
The County’s board will vote on the proposed budget April 8.
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