Budget Talks Begin in Manassas

The City of Manassas will hold its second budget work session this evening since interim City Manager Patricia Weiler presented the proposed budget last month.

According to Weiler's Feb. 27 presentation of the proposed budget to council, the average residential tax bill will increase by $12, while the average commercial tax bill will decrease by $103, per the new, lower proposed tax rate.

Weiler proposes in the new budget a real estate tax rate of 1.192 per $100 of assessed value and a fire and rescue tax rate of 17.4 cents. Together, the total is $1.37 cents — 3 cents less than the current rates in total.

The total tax revenue will be flat with the proposed rate, according to the city manager's report. The total average residential tax bill for 2013 would be $2,934 and the total average commercial tax bill would be $16,041.

Weiler's report showed that had she used the average tax rate per council's guidelines of $1.201 per $100 of assessed value, then there would have been an increases in both the residential and total tax bills with the commercial tax bill remaining flat.

Weiler said she was able to lower the proposed average tax rate from $1.226 in 2012 to $1.192 in 2013 because of an increase in residential and commercial property assessments.

Weiler's report also noted increases in local sales, business license, cigarette and lodging taxes, which also contributed to the new, lower  rate.

The report also shows the average residential 2013 tax bill being proposed in Manassas at $2,934 will remain lower than its neighbors in Manassas Park ($3.341) and Prince William County ($3,515).

The city shares 58.5-percent of its budget with city schools per a joint budget agreement, but for 2013 the city manager is proposing an increase of $203,010 over 2012 to directly reflect the superintendent's proposed FY 2013 budget of $47M.

The proposed employee compensation package for 2013 contains raises for 66 employees, 47 of those being police and firefighters through a Public Safety Retention Program. The annual bonuses for police officers and firefighters will range from $2,000 to $3,000, depending how long they have been with the city. The focus is on retention of the newer officers and firefighters we have invested in through training, Weiler said. The total cost of the retention program is $248,000 with $160,000 coming for the General Fund, according to the proposed budget.

Residents will pay 5 percent more for solid waste and 2 percent more for electricity under the proposed budget, while water and sewer rates will remain the same.

To view the entire City Managers FY 2013 Proposed Budget, visit here. 

The first budget work session was held on Feb. 29 and the next one is Monday, March 5 at 5:30 p.m. in the second floor conference room at City Hall.

The city will hold budget work sessions throughout March and in April before the council presents a proposed budget on April 16 and adopts a budget on May 14.

View the full FY 2013 Budget Calendar.