Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, May 1, 1990 TAG: 9005010331
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: CATHRYN McCUE NEW RIVER VALLEY BUREAU
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
Council unanimously adopted the 1990-91 budget Monday evening. It includes a 50 percent tax increase on utility bills and two new fees added to residential garbage collection bills.
The increases will allow the town to maintain the existing level of service, Town Manager Ron Secrist said, as well as pay for a new curbside recycling program in Blacksburg and a first-ever landfill fee in Montgomery County.
The council also voted 4-3 to raise members' salaries, excluding the mayor's, for the first time in eight years, from $200 to $400 a month.
Council commended Secrist for his work on the budget - his first budget from beginning to end as town manager.
"I think the budget is sound. It reflects the concerns and views of this community," said council member Michael Chandler.
"There were no surprises," council member Al Leighton said. "We knew what we had to do."
Secrist had said that raising the utility tax was necessary to offset dwindling contributions from the state and a leveling off of town revenues.
The budget raises utility taxes on telephone, electric, gas and cable television bills from 10 percent to 15 percent. The maximum tax on each monthly bill will be $2.25 instead of the current maximum of $1.50.
Businesses also will pay 50 percent more in utility taxes, up to a maximum of $7.50 per bill.
The recycling initiative is one of the first curbside pickup programs in the New River Valley. A recent survey by Blacksburg showed overwhelming support for such a program.
The program is estimated to cost residential customers $2.12 per month, added onto the garbage collection bill. Multifamily housing and businesses will not be included during the first year.
An additional $1.25 will likely be tacked onto residential garbage bills to cover Montgomery County's new landfill tipping fee of $15 per ton.
Secrist said the budget is based on estimates of both garbage fees, and that council will hold public hearings to formally approve the fees.
The budget also includes:
$A $3.25 million bond issue for an indoor swimming pool and other projects.
$6,000 for a Blacksburg Museum in the Price House on Lee Street.
A 5 percent pay raise for all town employees.
$14,400 for increased salaries of council members.
In voting against the increased compensation for council, veteran member Frances Parsons said she had mixed emotions because the council's workload has increased tremendously over the past few years.
"However, I guess my approach has always been that my serving on council is a dedication," Parsons said.
Lewis Barnett and Joyce Lewis, who joined with Parsons in opposing the raise, had voiced similar opinions earlier.
Chandler, who proposed the increase at a work session in March, said the responsibilities of council merit an increase. He also pointed out that council had discussed it several times in the past four or five years.
by CNB