Manassas Park residents complain about tax rate

For the first 15 minutes of Tuesday's public hearing on the proposed tax rate for the new fiscal year, Manassas Park finance director Gary Fields went through a less-than-appealing budget filled with hiring freezes and school employee cuts.

Then the night really got bad.

Individual after individual at a packed city hall chambers came to the podium to complain about the city's proposal for a 10-cent real estate tax increase. Despite hearing news that the average tax bill would decrease by $213, there was skepticism running through the crowd of some 40 to 50 residents.

Christina Brucker said she was relieved at first because she thought the tax rate would be lowered in such difficult economic times. Now the Manassas Park resident wants out of the city as soon as the market turns. In the meantime, she plans to question the assessment of her home.

Resident Bob Mosley agreed with Brucker.

"When the market is good, I'm gone," Mosley said.

Many of the residents questioned why Manassas Park's tax rate was so much higher than the neighboring jurisdictions. And some questioned why the city spent money on new facilities like the fire station and police station in recent years.

To clarify future public comments regarding tax rates of other Northern Virginia jurisdictions, Mayor Frank Jones interrupted the hearing by stating that the neighboring city of Manassas has advertised a tax rate of $1.155 -- a 35 percent increase to its current tax rate of 85.5 cents.

Conversely, Manassas Park's proposed rate of $1.24 would only be an 8.8 percent rate increase to the current $1.14. Its advertised rate of no more than $1.27 would be only an 11.3 percent jump.

Through the first 30-plus minutes of the hearing, there were very few opposing views.

Resident Michelle Steubencourt supported the tax rate increase, stating that her two children in the Manassas Park school system shouldn't have to suffer so that residents can save a little money. The general fund budget -- from which the schools draw 57 percent through a revenue-sharing agreement -- is expected to be nearly $1 million lower than last year.

Consequently, the schools would lose up to 41 positions -- or more than 10 percent of the workforce.

Resident Noreen Slater took Steubencourt's point a step further and said that the proposed tax rate increase is not enough.

"Our schools sell houses," Slater said. "The proposed tax rate does not reflect the track of excel-lence that we have been riding the last few years. You need to set a tax rate that is truly reflective of the city's needs."

Staff writer Kipp Hanley can be reached at 703-369-5738.