JCC's Public Comment Tonight on Proposed Fee Increases, Program Cuts in New Budget

By Desiree Parker Tuesday, April 27, 2010

James City County supervisors will hold a public hearing on the recently released draft of the county budget at their regular meeting tonight.

This is an opportunity for residents to comment on another budget with projected slumping revenues and $1.4 million in reductions. The fiscal year 2011 operating budget – for the year that  begins July 1 and ends June 30, 2011 - is $106.2 million, down from $107.1 million this year.

County Administrator Sandy Wanner is not proposing any tax increases and hardly any fee increases; instead, there will be reductions and consolidations to make up the gap.

There will be 30.5 full-time county positions eliminated in the proposed budget, which includes the elimination of the Neighborhood Connections program and a creation of a Civic Engagement Coordinator to replace the program.

Also proposed are reductions in some county employee benefits, a reduction to outside agency contributions by about 10 percent, and various changes to Parks and Recreation, including increased fees.

In order to cover costs for stormwater projects, the budget recommends shifting $2 million each year for two years from the county’s Greenspace fund and Purchase of Development Rights fund, both meant to preserve land in the county, over to the stormwater division.

Read a detailed story on the proposed budget here, and read more about the $2 million transfer of funds proposal here.

The supervisors will meet Tuesday at 7 p.m. in building F of the county government complex. They are expected to adopt the budget on May 11.