Same Real Estate Tax Rate Proposed In Prince William County Budget

WOODBRIDGE, VA — The same tax rate is proposed in the next budget for Prince William County government, but property owners whose homes appreciated in value would see tax bills rise.

County Executive Christopher Shorter presented the fiscal year 2025 budget proposal to the County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday. In the budget, a $0.966 per $100 of assessed value tax rate is proposed. Even with a flat rate, average tax bills would increase by 5 percent, or $243.

Last year, the tax rate was lowered from $1.03 per $100 of assessed value to the current $0.966 per $100, keeping the average residential tax bill flat without an increase.

The budget proposal breaks down what the average residential tax bill of $5,098 goes toward. Prince William County Public Schools receives the largest share, about 57 percent. The next highest item is public safety and security (police, fire, sheriffs, courts and more) at about 20.8 percent, followed by health, wellbeing and environmental sustainability initiatives (library, parks and recreation, public health, youth services and more) at 10.6 percent and government operations (Board of County Supervisors, elections, County Attorney, information technology, finance and more) at 6.3 percent.

The personal property tax rate on business tangible computer and peripherals, which includes data center equipment, is proposed to remain the same at $2.15 per $100 of assessed value. However, the County Board of Supervisors is expected to advertise a rate of $3.70, which is the highest rate that could be approved during the budget process. Last budget cycle, the rate was raised from $1.80 per $100 of assessed value to $2.15 per $100 value.

According to Shorter's budget presentation, several items in the budget are already decided. That includes $15.4 million for collective bargaining agreements for police and fire ratified in January. The agreements are with the Prince William County Police Association and International Association of Fire Fighters Local 2598.

Under the collective bargaining agreement for fire and rescue, employees would get a 1.25 percent market rate adjustment in fiscal years 2025 and 2026, specialty incentive pay, advanced life support stipend increase and technical rescue and hazardous materials certification pay. The budget will start the transition of fire and rescue personnel to a 50-day work week under the collective bargaining agreement. The county will start 30 sworn full-time personnel per year on the new 50-hour work week from fiscal years 2025 to 2027.

On the staffing side, the budget proposes 10 full-time employees for Fire & Rescue Station 27 at 15825 Spriggs Road in Manassas. The fire station is estimated to have occupancy in July 2025.

The police collective bargaining agreement will provide on-call pay, a $1,000 bonus in fiscal years 2025 and 2026, compensation study, increase the shift differential and provide crime scene technician pay. The proposed budget plans for 20 more sworn and three more civilian staff each in fiscal years 2025 and 2026.

Other decided factors in the budget are $3.9 million in debt service and operating budget costs for property acquisitions, including the Crisis Receiving Center, Mike Pennington Scenario Based Training Center and land at McCoart Government Center as well as principal and interest costs for debt service. In addition, there is $500,000 more set aside for 311 services, and $300,000 for the Freedom Center tripartite agreement renewal.

The budget proposes a $28.3 million increase for employee pay. Much of that increase is tied to a proposed 2.5 percent average market rate adjustment for non-sworn employees —excluding collective bargaining impacts — and 3 percent year of service/merit increases. The remainder is tied to Virginia Retirement System contributions, health and dental benefits, retiree health benefits and a classification and compensation study.

With a large percentage of the budget earmarked for PWCS, the county transfer to the school division is proposed to increase by $81.2 million to $887.2 million. The county's revenue sharing agreement provides 57.23 percent of its general fund to PWCS.

The $1.78 billion operating budget proposed by Superintendent LaTanya McDade includes a large share dedicated to compensation initiatives. The PWCS budget proposal calls for a 5.2 percent average salary increase for teachers and 8.1 to 9.1 percent average increase for mid-career teachers. Administrators are proposed to get a 5.2 percent salary increase, while classified staff would receive a 6 percent increase. The proposed pay raises accounts for cost-of-living adjustments and step increases while maintaining a 2 percent mid-scale increase from the last budget.

The full budget presentation is available to view online or at www.pwcva.gov/budget.

Key dates in the budget process are:

• Feb. 13: Proposed Capital Improvement Projects for 2025-2030
• Feb. 20: Proposed budget for fiscal year 2025
• Feb. 24: Virtual community meeting at 9 a.m. for residents to see budget presentations and ask questions
• Feb. 28: The county's Planning Commission will review infrastructure projects in the proposed Capital Improvement Projects during a work session at 6 p.m.
• March 12, 19 and April 2: Board of County Supervisors budget work sessions covering specific areas of the budget, each at 2 p.m.
• March 19: Board of County Supervisors public hearing on budget
• March 27: The county's Planning Commission will hold a public hearing at 7 p.m.
• April 2: The Prince William County School Board will present its proposed budget presentation to the Board of County Supervisors.
• April 9: Recap of the proposed budget and public hearings on the budget, tax rates and fees.
• April 16: Board of County Supervisors holds budget markup session to determine final changes they would like to make to the budget.
• April 23: Budget adoption by Board of County Supervisors