County to advertise $1 tax rate

We have a rate. It took an estimated dozen attempts and three meetings, but Prince William County supervisors came through Tuesday and set the fiscal 2009 tax rate to advertise at $1.

That $1 rate, if it's finally adopted, would raise the average residential real estate tax bill by a little more than 8 percent, or an estimated $265 a year.

The vote was still split 5-3; opposing was Chairman Corey Stewart, R-at large, as well as Vice Chairman John Stirrup, R-Gainesville, and Supervisor Wally Covington, R-Brentsville.

The approved $1 rate also followed three other votes -- all failed, all supported only by supervisors John Jenkins, D-Neabsco, Frank Principi, D-Woodbridge, and Maureen Caddigan, R-Dumfries -- for $1.03, then $1.02 and $1.01.

Supervisors ultimately reached agreement due, in part, to the school system refiguring its own proposed budget. In a Tuesday letter to county executive Craig Gerhart, Superintendent Steven L. Walts indicated he found budget savings in the amount of $12.5 million, roughly half of which was slated to come from the county transfer. The savings does not include any changes in plans to boost school employee and teachers' salaries by a total of 6 percent, 3 percent each from cost-of-living and merit raises, Gerhart said.

Still, when those new school numbers were taken in conjunction with recent statements from county finance officers that projected revenue shortfalls from the housing market weren't as low as expected -- assessments are reportedly going to drop 15 percent, rather than 16 percent -- supervisors who had previously held for a higher rate yesterday found room to compromise.

"Given the revised revenue projections from the county, given the revised budget from the schools, I would move [to approve] $1," said Principi, who had voted for $1.03 and $1.01 in previous meetings, according to vote tallies compiled by the county.

The letter from Walts also pointed to a $6-plus million savings from decreasing enrollments, to the tune of 819 students, most of whom participated in English for Speakers of Other Languages courses. Stewart attributed this drop, and $6 million savings, to successful implementation of the county's illegal immigration policy.

Stewart had planned to make a statewide campaign issue from this immigration measure with a possible run for the lieutenant governor's position currently held by Bill Bolling, also a Republican. But this week, Bolling an-nounced plans to seek the office once again -- effectively halting Stewart's drive for the post.

"He's the incumbent" and the one who's supported by the party, he said Tuesday. Stew-art also said he would continue traveling throughout the state and speaking on immigration to let other communities know of the successes of Prince William's policy.

Jenkins, meanwhile, in a followup interview to the board meeting, said he would look closely at the future funding of this same immigration measure and see what savings, if any, could be made.

"I think [the policy] is a candidate for us to look at," he said.

Staff writer Cheryl Chumley can be reached at 703-670-1907.