SUPERVISORS SAY THEY WON'T INCREASE TAXES

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, February 10, 1993                   TAG: 9302100358
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: By DAVID M. POOLE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium
SUPERVISORS SAY THEY WON'T INCREASE TAXES
Roanoke County will not increase property tax rates this year.
The Board of Supervisors committed itself Tuesday to land and personal-property rates no higher than current levels.
As one supervisor noted, however, most county landowners will pay more in taxes for the fiscal year that begins July 1 because of increases in tax assessments.
"We are raising taxes," said Edward Kohinke, the Catawba District supervisor.
Kohinke noted that the board could lower tax rates to offset higher assessments, which increased 2.5 percent overall for residential property. A public hearing is scheduled for March 9.
Supervisors are expected to retain present rates so they will have enough revenue to maintain services and give county employees and teachers a raise.
The current rate for real estate is $1.13 per $100 of assessed value; for personal property it is $3.50 per $100 of value.
County Administrator Elmer Hodge told the board there would be little revenue to initiate new services, such as the resumption of vacuum leaf collection in suburban areas.
In an informal vote, board members agreed to hold off on leaf collection until revenues improve.
Revenue estimates show the county will have about $3.5 million in new local money to spend in 1993-94.
Hodge said his staff will develop specific spending requests - including pay raises - after the General Assembly completes the state budget in coming weeks.
Each 1 percent raise would cost $525,000 for county school employees and $195,000 for government employees.
Supervisors tentatively agreed that pay raises would take effect July 1, even if the General Assembly were to delay state aid for raises until January 1994.
In a related money matter, the board tentatively agreed to raise the county's tax on hotel rooms from 2 percent to 5 percent beginning July 1.
The General Assembly has agreed to allow the county to increase the hotel tax rate, provided it spends the $330,000 in added revenue to promote tourism.
Hollins Supervisor Bob Johnson said he resented the General Assembly - goaded by the tourism lobby - telling the county how it should spend its money.
Johnson suggested that the county would have wide latitude in deciding what expenses were related to "tourism." He suggested in half-jest that the county buy school buses equipped with signs touting Explore Park and other attractions.
Buying buses, he argued, would be more practical than giving the money to the Roanoke Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau.
"At least somebody's going to benefit - they'll get to school and get an education."
\ IN OTHER ACTION\ ROANOKE COUNTY SUPERVISORS\ \ Created a $10,000 fund to assist in cleaning up illegal dumps on private land. Property owners could seek reimbursement for hauling costs and landfill fees.\ \ Voted 4-1 to amend the county's parade ordinance to establish a fee schedule for security provided by off-duty county police officers. Supervisor Harry Nickens opposed the measure as too costly for parade organizers.

by Archana Subramaniam by CNB