Washington County commissioners approved a new $68.8 million general fund budget on Wednesday that is balanced without a property tax increase.
The operating budget for the new fiscal year that begins on July 1 was passed in a 14-0 vote, with Commissioner Josh Edens absent. Commissioners approved the budget, as well as agreeing to keep the county’s property tax rate at the current levy of $1.71 per every $100 of assessed value, in a meeting lasting a little over 30 minutes.
Before the vote, commissioners heard from officials with Washington County Schools, who asked the county for help in erasing a $4 million deficit in the school system’s new budget.
Gregg Huddlestone, a member of the county’s Board of Education, told commissioners that without their help, a number of key needs will not be funded in the new fiscal year. He said that includes competitive pay for teachers and and funding a sufficient number of teacher aides and bus drivers.
Lorenzo Ramunno, an attorney in Gray, also presented petitions to commissioners with 1,450 signatures of residents asking county officials to “reverse†the property tax rate set in 2024 and “cap all future tax increases.â€
Ramunno also suggested county officials replace that tax revenue by levying impact fees on developers.
