York County administrator proposes 3¢ real-estate tax cut, elimination of vehicle license fee in FY2025 budget

County Administrator Mark Bellamy presented a high-level recommended budget for fiscal year 2025 at the York County Board of Supervisors meeting on March 19, outlining a $266.3 million total county budget and a proposed $190 million general fund, an 8.8% increase from the prior year. Bellamy said the plan includes a recommended 3¢ real‑estate tax cut and elimination of the vehicle license fee, measures he said would provide about $5.5 million in tax relief for residents.

The recommended personnel package includes a 4% compensation adjustment plus a $500 annualized supplement; Bellamy said that would amount to roughly a 5% effective increase for an average $50,000‑a‑year employee after payroll and benefit impacts. He told the board to expect a roughly 12% increase in health‑insurance costs, which staff proposes the county absorb with employees covering a modest share, and a 7.3% rise in Virginia Retirement System employer rates.

Bellamy said the recommended budget sets a $2.3 million working number for the school division contribution and proposes a $750,000 increase in cash capital for the capital improvement program, bringing total cash CIP to $4.75 million. He also flagged planned public‑safety hires: eight new deputies for the sheriff’s office (four in July and four later, contingent on performance) and six firefighter positions staggered across the fiscal year.

Bellamy walked the board through revenue and allocation assumptions, saying the adopted FY2024 budget was $174 million and staff projects roughly $192 million in revenues for 2025 (an $18.1 million increase before accounting for the tax‑reduction items discussed). He reminded supervisors that enterprise and special‑revenue funds (utilities, solid waste, tourism, Head Start) are treated separately and that some fund transfers are reduced to avoid double counting.

Board members praised staff outreach and the budget “shorts” used to explain items to the public, and they discussed next steps: a town‑hall listening session at Yorktown Library on March 26, a work session April 2, a public hearing April 16 and scheduled adoption on May 7. Supervisors also raised follow‑up questions about possible blended approaches (partial reductions spread across real‑estate and personal‑property rates), the county’s reserve and surplus projections, and how school capacity and capital needs fit the CIP timetable.

Bellamy said staff will provide detailed CIP and budget books at the break and invited public input via email and online comment forms. The county administrator reiterated that staff would bring back more detailed numbers as the board and school division refine priorities before the April hearings.

The presentation and board discussion are expected to guide staff recommendations at upcoming work sessions and the April public hearing on the proposed FY2025 budget.