Prince George supervisors introduce FY27 budget, advertise 82¢ tax rate while funding step increases and targeted pilots

Prince George County supervisors on Tuesday opened detailed review of the proposed FY27 budget, directing staff to advertise a real‑estate tax rate of $0.82 per $100 of assessed value while seeking to balance staff pay increases with targeted service changes and one‑time pilots.

The presentation by staff and subsequent board discussion centered on a range of levers: recognizing potential additional EMS billing revenue, raising certain departmental fees, trimming or removing a debt reserve transfer, and passing a portion of rising health‑insurance costs to employees. “The real estate tax rate is currently based on board input going to stay at $0.82 per $100 of assessed value,” staff said during the overview. The board recorded consensus to advertise that rate for the public hearing process.

Why it matters: The choices the board made at the work session will shape the introduced budget the public will see in the coming weeks. The package combines incremental revenue changes (fee increases and potential billing revenue) with targeted spending decisions — a mixing of recurring and one‑time items intended to limit the immediate tax impact while funding selected priorities.

Key decisions and outcomes

- Tax rate: Staff asked for direction on the rate; the board agreed to advertise at $0.82 per $100 and continue refining the introduced budget for public hearing.

- Employee pay: Supervisors supported a 1.5% step increase for all eligible employees (unanimous) and debated the size of a cost‑of‑living adjustment across public safety and non‑public‑safety scales. Staff estimated the step increase at about $398,642 and the consensus COLA impacts at roughly $1.03 million across funds; board members discussed trimming COLA to preserve services.

- Fees and revenues: The board agreed to implement the planning fee and recreation fee increases presented by staff (combined, these add roughly $55,000 in projected revenue). Staff also presented a conservative EMS‑billing estimate from a third‑party partner — approximately $1.05–$1.1 million — and commissioners debated whether to recognize a $160,000 portion of that revenue in the FY27 introduced budget or wait until billing performance is confirmed.

- Outside partners & cuts: Several supervisors proposed reductions to nonprofit contributions (examples discussed included Prince George–Hopewell Healthy Families and the James House). Staff noted the county currently funds those entities and asked the board for direction; supervisors asked staff to provide more impact data before final decisions.

Board process and next steps

The board directed staff to prepare a formal introduced budget for the next public posting and scheduled a sequence of work sessions and public hearings (staff indicated an introduced‑budget presentation next week, a work session March 31, and public hearings in late April and May). The board asked for additional analyses on items raised during the session, including cost‑benefit and operational impact memos for proposed reductions and the EMS pilot.

“Once we get everybody onboarded and ready to go, then at that 6‑month mark, we'll evaluate and extend if needed,” one commissioner said regarding the EMS pilot plan in session discussion. The budget remains a draft until the formal introduced document and public hearings are complete; the board will consider adoption at a later meeting after public comment and final adjustments.