ROANOKE TIMES  
                      Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times

DATE: Wednesday, February 19, 1997           TAG: 9702190117
SECTION: VIRGINIA                 PAGE: C-5  EDITION: METRO  
DATELINE: BEDFORD
SOURCE: RICHARD FOSTER
MEMO: ***CORRECTION***
      Published correction ran on February 20, 1997 in the New River Valley 
      edition.
         Clarification
         Bedford County's fiscal 1997-98 budget is a draft; the Board of 
      Supervisors has yet to decide whether there will be a tax increase. A 
      headline was incorrect in Wednesday's paper.
      
      ***CORRECTION***
      Published correction ran on February 20, 1997.
         Bedford County's fiscal 1997-98 budget is a draft; the Board of 
      Supervisors has yet to decide whether there will be a tax increase. A 
      headline was incorrect in Wednesday's paper.

BUDGET INCLUDES HIGHER TAXES

Bedford County's record-breaking $94 million draft budget presented Tuesday also unveiled what may be the largest preliminary shortfall in county history - $13.5 million.

If the Board of Supervisors were to approve the preliminary budget without cuts, it would take a nearly 51-cent tax increase per $100 of assessed value on county real estate to make up the difference. That's more than twice the county's current rate of 49 cents.

Last year's budget was $82.2 million. The county faced a $6.3 million deficit before cuts.

Much of the increase in this year's budget is due to nearly static state funding for county schools - about $26 million - and a growing local share. The county is being asked to provide about $19.2 million in school funding for fiscal year 1997-98 - about $6 million more than last year.

Also, many departments are requesting new personnel to keep up with the county's growth. According to data presented Tuesday, Bedford County's real-estate taxes are lower than all nine localities surrounding it.

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