Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 21, 1990 TAG: 9003232676
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B1 EDITION: EVENING
SOURCE: MARK LAYMAN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The board is split on the idea, with Chairman Dick Robers and Supervisor Steve McGraw likely to support it and Supervisor Harry Nickens likely to oppose it.
Supervisor Bob Johnson doesn't want to hold a referendum in November, but might go along with one the following spring. And Supervisor Lee Eddy is leaning against the idea but wants more details.
Hodge raised the idea Tuesday at a work session on the county's 1990-1991 budget.
He told the supervisors it might be possible to repay a bond issue of up to $12 million without increasing real estate or personal property tax rates.
A bond issue could pay for a new library in Hollins, completion of Green Hill and Vinyard parks and drainage improvements, Hodge said.
The county school administration has a $7.7 million list of capital projects, including additions at Northside and William Byrd high schools and asbestos removal.
"The needs of the county and the schools should be combined on this bond issue, and if we don't go together, we shouldn't go at all," Hodge said.
The possibility that county residents will approve a plan to consolidate with the city of Roanoke makes no difference, he said. "We are a growing, thriving community, and these needs must be addressed whether or not consolidation takes place. In fact, if we do not address them, the new government will surely have to."
On a 4-to-1 vote, with Nickens dissenting, the supervisors asked Hodge to give them more details next month.
The consolidation plan probably will be on the ballot in November, and Nickens and Johnson don't want to have a bond issue on the ballot at the same time.
Nickens also said county residents might be getting tired of referendums. They approved a $15 million capital improvements bond issue in 1985, approved a $16 million bond issue for the Spring Hollow Reservoir in 1986, rejected the creation of a police department that same year, rejected a change in the way School Board members are chosen in 1988 and approved the creation of a police department in 1989.
And he said the supervisors haven't had the time to study what capital projects are most needed.
During Tuesday's work session, Hodge told the supervisors that county revenues are expected to increase by $4.6 million in 1990-1991.
Hodge isn't recommending an increase in real estate or personal property tax rates, but he is recommending that user fees - particularly in parks and recreation programs and in development review - be increased to offset costs.
He's trying to stop talk of a tax rate reduction. "Because of the increasing demands for school and county services, I recommend leaving tax rates at their present levels," he said.
A 1-cent reduction in the real estate tax rate would reduce revenues by $271,000. A 1-cent reduction in the personal property tax rate would reduce revenues by $35,000.
"This promises to be a very good budget year," Hodge said, but still, requests for money from county departments exceed revenues by nearly $6.5 million.
Hodge said his proposed budget will include money for four additional firefighter/paramedics, a fire inspector, five additional patrol officers and an additional dispatcher for the new county police department, design of the new regional landfill and pay raises of either 5 percent or 5.2 percent for county employees and schoolteachers.
As a result of a market survey that found "county salaries are not competitive for a number of job categories," Hodge wants to spend $390,000 to raise the pay scale for some jobs.
As in recent years, Hodge proposed giving half the $4.6 million increase in revenues to the school system. Even with that $2.3 million, though, the school administration's proposed 1990-1991 budget is $237,000 in the red.
The average teacher salary in the county is $31,528 this year. That would increase to $33,167 if the 5.2 percent raise is improved. Under the proposed 1990-1991 salary scale, a first-year teacher with a bachelor's degree would be paid $23,290. A teacher with a doctorate and nearly 20 years' experience would be paid $37,855.
The supervisors will continue to discuss the budget at work sessions April 10 and April 24.
by CNB