Manassas Tea Party Members to Protest Higher Taxes

Manassas Tea Party members will be hitting the streets of Manassas Saturday, protesting higher taxes proposed under the city council's fiscal year 2012 budget. 

Under the proposed council's budget, residents would  see an average increase of $38 on their real estate tax bills. Townhouse owners would see the highest average increase in their bills, at $124.

Still, the council's budget is less of a tax burden on residents than the  budget proposed by the city manager in early March.

Some of the extra revenue would go toward increasing community policing, Education Forward and merit increases for salary employees, according to budget documents.

Tea Party members say one reason for the tax increase is "unsolicited spending" in the areas of public safety and education.

In particular, tomorrow's participants will be protesting spending tax payers' dollars on four new police officers.

According to a flyer published by the tea party group, the Manassas City Chief of Police did not request four new officers.

 The police chief said his biggest problem is retention, said Manassas City Council Member Marc , who is the only council member who does not approve of the proposed budget . “He did not say he needed more officers.”

The rally's participants will also be protesting spending an additional $250K on the "undefined" programs of Education Forward.

The protesters will also aim to shed light on the proposed 2012 tax increase in the following areas:

• 5 percent increase for electric and sewer utilities

• 13 percent increase in Fire Levy

• 2 percent increase for water

• Business license tax increase

• Cigarette Tax increase

Manassas Tea Party members will take to the streets at 9 a.m. Saturday, April 23. Residents are also encouraged to attend Monday evening's council meeting for a public hearing on the budget at 7:30 p.m.

Read the Manasssas Tea Party flyer

Editor's Note: The article originally read, "the streets of Old Town," which has since been changed to "the streets of Manassas" to directly reflect the aforementioned flyer.