Norfolk not likely to get tax break, council says

NORFOLK

It seems virtually certain that home-owners won't get real-estate tax relief from the City Council in the next budget.

The council meets today at 12:30 p.m. in City Hall for its final debate on the $1.2 billion spending plan proposed last month by City Manager Regina V.K. Williams.

After listening to nearly 100 residents speak at tax-rate and budget hearings last week, the council seems largely content with Williams' budget proposal. The 2009 fiscal year plan, which will take effect July 1, maintains the current real estate tax rate.

"Any changes in the budget would be very modest," Mayor Paul Fraim said.

"It's a good budget," Councilman Don Williams added. "I don't think we'll change much."

The council will formally adopt the budget next Tuesday, but most if not all final decisions on the spending plan will be made today.

Firefighters, sanitation workers, teachers and retirees all asked for larger wage increases at last week's budget hearing. Council members said they are unlikely to boost general wages more than what the city manager proposed - a 1 percent increase, in addition to a 2.5 percent raise most employees receive automatically.

On Monday, however, five council members expressed support for increasing the pay of sheriff's deputies, saying Sheriff Robert McCabe has convinced them that doing so is a necessity.

"They are near the bottom of the pay scale in the region," Councilman Williams said.

Fraim said he will propose increasing deput ies' salaries by $1,000, much like the city did for police a year ago.

"But it's a question of how much money we can move around," he said.

Vice Mayor Anthony L. Burfoot and Councilman Paul R. Riddick said they will press for more money for city retirees. They are to receive a 1 percent increase in retirement pay in the city manager's proposed budget, but will be required to absorb a hefty increase in health insurance premiums.

"The reason the city is experiencing so much success is because of their work," Burfoot said. "That has to be rewarded."

Councilman Barclay C. Winn has tried to muster support for a 3-cent reduction in the real estate tax rate. He wants to reduce the rate from $1.11 per $100 of assessed value to $1.08.

Residential assessments are increasing an average of 3.1 percent, partly because the assessment process lags more than a year behind sales. Winn contends that many homeowners now are paying taxes on assessments that are too high.

Even so, Winn concedes there's little appetite to reduce the rate, especially after the council cut the rate by 16 cents a year ago.

Besides Winn, only Councilman W. Randy Wright supports a rate cut.

Harry Minium, (757) 446-2371, harry.minium@pilotonline.com