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

DATE: WEDNESDAY, April 19, 1995                   TAG: 9504190047
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-3   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: RICHARD FOSTER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

BEDFORD COUNTY CUTS MERCHANT TAX

The Bedford County Board of Supervisors cut the county's merchants' capital tax in half this week as it approved the county's 1995-96 fiscal budget.

"If you've got a bad year and you build up inventory, [the tax] costs you," Supervisor Gus Saarnijoki said. "For car dealers, in particular, if you have a bad December, this [tax] can really hurt you."

The tax was lowered from $2.20 per $100 of assessed value to $1.10.

The county budget was set at $72.2 million - a $3 million increase from last year.

Real estate tax rates were lowered to 44 cents per $100 of assessed value, down from 66 cents, to offset a recent reassessment.

The board also approved a $25,000 donation for the Campbell County Rescue Squad, voting down a motion to lower the amount. The squad answers calls in eastern Bedford County.

Members of Bedford County's nine volunteer rescue squads, which each received $20,000 from the board, have protested the larger donation given the Campbell squad.

by CNB