Prince William County Acting County Executive Proposes the Fiscal Year 2023 Budget

Prince William Acting County Executive Elijah Johnson presented the Proposed Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Budget to the Prince William Board of County Supervisors on Tuesday, Feb. 15, during the Board meeting.

“Throughout the FY2023 budget process, I will facilitate discussion, provide guidance, and pursue solutions to accomplish the goals and priorities established by the Board of County Supervisors. The proposed fiscal plan is now in the hands of the Board and the community. By working together, the fiscal plan will continue Prince William County’s tradition of serving the community first while maintaining the county’s strong financial management,” said Johnson.

The Proposed FY2023 Budget advances the community’s strategic priorities while addressing Board policy directives. During the past year, the Board directed staff to explore and prepare a proposal to create a county-operated Health Department; establish a Crisis Receiving Center and trauma treatment program for providing mental health services; establish a Sustainability Commission and develop a community energy master plan, and provide for collective bargaining by applicable employee units deemed appropriate by the Board. The proposed budget also includes funding to address additional election precincts resulting from redistricting, as mandated by the Code of Virginia.

In an effort to mitigate the impact of rising residential real estate assessments, the proposed budget is funded at a reduced real estate tax rate of $1.05 per $100 of assessed value. The county’s current real estate tax rate is $1.115. The fire levy rate is also reduced from the current rate of $0.08 per $100 of assessed value to $0.075. Based on these rates, the average residential real estate tax bill increase is $248 ($233 from the real estate tax and $15 from the fire levy). The proposed budget also increases the business tangible computer and peripheral tax rate by $0.15 to $1.65 per $100 of assessed value and implements a 4 percent meals tax.

Following the Strategic Plan’s guiding principles, the proposed fiscal plan invests resources in vital service improvements within the seven strategic goal areas, as described below.

Health, Wellbeing & Human Services – The proposed budget provides funding to reduce waitlists in various mental health, developmentally disabled, substance abuse, and emergency services programs in Community Services. It also continues the Social Services staffing plan to address benefit eligibility and childcare applications and renewals, in addition to funding for hypothermia homeless services in partnership with community non-profits. Community partner organizations are sustained with a 10 percent operating increase in FY2023, which reflects the rising cost of providing services to the community during the pandemic.

To aid in serving the community’s most vulnerable population, the proposed capital improvement program supports the wellbeing strategic goal by investing in facilities such as a Homeless Navigation Center, which will provide wrap-around services for those experiencing homelessness.

Safe & Secure Community – The Board’s commitment to keeping the community safe is achieved through the Police, Sheriff, and Commonwealth’s Attorney staffing plans in the proposed budget and Five-Year Plan. Staffing is also included in the proposed budget to support an adult drug court docket, as well as a seventh Circuit Court judge based on legislation introduced in the Virginia General Assembly.

Future capital improvements associated with a Safe and Secure Community include the construction of Fire & Rescue Stations 27 and 28, expanding the Public Safety Training Center for new public safety recruit and in-service training, and facility improvements to address current and future space needs at the Judicial Center complex.

Resilient Economy – Prince William County continues to provide opportunities to assist small businesses as they recover during the pandemic through grants to small businesses in need of rent relief, working capital, debt payments, or operating cost assistance. Grant opportunities also exist for high-growth startup companies within targeted industry sectors choosing to locate in the county. The proposed budget increases capacity in the County’s Targeted Industry Program, which provides expedited plan review for qualifying projects.

Quality Education and Workforce Development – Support for K-12 education continue with the revenue sharing agreement, which provides 57.23 percent of the county’s general revenue to Prince William County Schools (PWCS). The Proposed FY2023 Budget increases the local transfer to PWCS by $61.1 million, or 9.3 percent, more than FY2022.

Environmental Conservation – The proposed budget includes $1 million to begin implementing action strategies contained in the community energy master plan, once developed by the county’s new Sustainability Commission and approved by the Board. Increasing the annual stormwater management fee is also proposed to increase stormwater maintenance and drainage funding and restore streams consistent with state and federal mandates.

Sustainable Growth – The proposed budget includes funding for cemetery and gravesite preservation, as well as operating funds for archaeology and historic interpretation of county property acquired in the Thoroughfare Historical District.

Transportation & Mobility – Transportation remains a top priority for residents and businesses in the county and Northern Virginia region. The proposed Capital Improvement Program (CIP) programs the construction of each project approved by voters during the November 2019 Mobility Bond Referendum. The proposed budget also maintains support for Virginia Railway Express commuter rail service and Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission’s commuter and local bus service.

In addition to investing in the county’s strategic goals areas, the proposed budget also invests in county employees. The proposed budget includes a 3 percent pay for performance increase and a 1 percent pay plan salary adjustment while funding the existing level of health benefits and higher pension contribution rates mandated by the Virginia Retirement System.

There are several ways for the community to get involved with the budget process. There will be a virtual community meeting via Webex on Saturday, Feb. 19, at 9 a.m.  During the meeting, staff from the Office of Management & Budget will present the Proposed FY2023 Budget and Proposed FY2023-2028 Capital Improvement Program and answer questions. The link to the meeting can be found on the county’s website at pwcva.gov/budget.

In addition, residents are welcome to provide their feedback by speaking during the budget public hearings, speaking during the Board of County Supervisor meetings, contacting the members of the Board of County Supervisors, or leaving a question using the Budget Q&A app, which is also available on the county’s website.

The FY2023 Budget process calendar is available below. All meetings listed will take place in the Board Chambers of the James J. McCoart Administration Building during the Board of County Supervisors meetings, except for the virtual meeting on Feb. 19.

• Community (virtual) meeting (9 a.m.)                                           February 19
• Budget Work Sessions (2 p.m. & 7:30 p.m. meetings)                       March 1
                                                                                                                  March 8
                                                                                                                March 15

• Budget Public Hearing (7:30 p.m. meeting)                                      March 15
• PWCS Budget Presentation (7:30 p.m. meeting)                                   April 5
• Budget recap (7:30 p.m. meeting)                                                        April 12
• Budget & Tax Rates/Fees Public Hearings (7:30 p.m. meeting)          April 12
• Budget Markup (7:30 p.m. meeting)                                                     April 19
• Budget Adoption (7:30 p.m. meeting)                                                  April 26

 

For more information on the proposed budget, log onto http://www.pwcva.gov/budget.