Opinions divided over Manassas budget

The Manassas City Council held a public hearing on the proposed fiscal 2012 budget and heard a bit about it Mon­day night.

The split on those opposed and those favoring the $304 mil­lion budget was about even.

Those opposed to the bud­get didn’t like the timing of the increase in the tax rate and protested the Business Profes­sional Occupational License, or BPOL tax.

Those who favored the bud­get with a tax rate of $1.226 per $100 of assessed value and a fire levy of $.169 per $100 of assessed value said you get what you pay for in city government.

Meg Gruber spoke in favor of the budget, which will increase the average tax bill for a single­family detached home by $2 a year, with the average town house bill going up an average of $124 a year.

“Do I want to feel safe when I walk through Old Town Manassas or when I walk through my neighborhood in Wellington? Do I want to know if — God forbid — there’s a fire in my neighborhood or a fire at my house, there’s going to be a quick response? You bet I do. Am I willing to pay for it? You bet I am,” said Gruber, a Manassas resident.

Gruber echoed many who spoke, saying that she wanted good government with employees who were paid competitively with surrounding jurisdictions and good schools with competitively paid teachers.

Ray Beverage said he figured his tax bill would go up by a little more than $100 a year.

“It’s $108 a year, $9 a month. It’s a six-pack and two bottles of Sam Adams,” Beverage said.

Dan Arnold, chairman of Manassas Tea Party, opposed the budget, saying that any increase was too much right now with gas prices on the rise, homeowners underwater on their mortgages and utilities going up.

“Some have argued this is a very small increase. Granted, single-family homeowners will see a very modest increase, but it is another increase nonetheless,” he said. “What signal will this send to citizens already feeling the economic pinch at every turn?”

While he said he supports law enforcement, he said he was opposed to the way seven new police officers were added to the budget.

“This expenditure was dropped into the budget, entered into the discussion at the 11th hour after so many contentious budget expenditures had been debated vetted, wrangled over and agreed to,” he said.

Arnold said the council should go back and consider the rest of the budget in light of the proposal for the seven police officers.

The city council has a final budget work session Wednesday in the second-floor conference room at city hall at 5:30 p.m.

Del. Jackson Miller, R-Manassas, also spoke at the public hearing and opposed the BPOL tax, saying it would hurt Manassas businesses.

The BPOL tax will increase an average of $23 per year for contracting, $115 a year for retail and $68 a year for real estate, city background documents show.

“I am not happy about any of them, but I want to particularly ask you to go back Wednesday to the drawing board in reference to the BPOL tax,” Miller said.

Higher business taxes could drive businesses from the city, he said.

“The city of Manassas has to stay at a competitive level with Prince William County when it comes to a competitive business environment,” Miller said.

Maureen Wood questioned the wisdom of hiring three battalion chiefs and three firefighter medics.

“The City of Manassas prides itself on its volunteers and that’s why I have a hard time understanding why we are trying to put career-paid firefighters into our system when you’ve got these wonderful volunteers taking time away from their families and their home life to serve us,” Wood said.

She also said taxes were not the only thing that should be considered.

“You talk about the tax rate, but nobody has said anything about the assessments in the city. I know mine has gone up. When you put your tax rate on top of the assessment going up, we are paying a lot more than you guys are saying we’re paying,” Wood said.

Mark Hempen said he wanted to make sure the city was safe, clean and well run, and he supported the budget.

“It isn’t just the tax rate. I think that we have to look at the whole picture. I think the city has done a good job in a lot of ways and I’d hate to see us not accept this budget and reduce the police force and reduce other services that are greatly needed to keep the city running and to keep the city growing and thriving and flourishing,” the Manassas man said.

Senior reporter Keith Walker can be reached at 703-369-6751.