JAMES CITY-James City County Administrator Scott Stevens has proposed a $224.4 million budget for fiscal year 2022, a 7.5 percent increase over last year’s budget.
The new proposed budget includes a three percent cost of living adjustment effective October 1, 2021; coverage for an anticipated three percent increase in health insurance costs; funding for seven new full-time county positions; a proposed cigarette tax of 40 cents per pack beginning July 1, 2021 to help fund planned Capital Improvement Program (CIP) expenses; and projected revenue of $4.1 million from the Historic Triangle additional one percent sales tax that will also go toward CIP projects.
James City County would like to use a portion of budget funds to hire a principal planner; a convenience center attendant; a budget specialist in General Services; a capital projects coordinator; a sureties coordinator; an administrative coordinator for police, and a voting infrastructure coordinator. In addition, the county would like to hire a part-time police crime analyst and convert two part-time positions into a full-time position: animal control officer and satellite services assistant.
The 2022 budget reflects the impact of the covid-19 pandemic on the county. The county’s adopted 2021 fiscal year budget took any anticipated shortfalls related to the pandemic into consideration through the reduction of expenses and conservation of resources. As preparations began for fiscal year 2021, the county worked under the assumption that there would be economic recovery and a return to normal revenues and expenditures in fiscal year 2022. Officials planned to monitor these assumptions in fiscal year 2021 and adjust the fiscal year 2022 proposed budget accordingly.
There will be a public hearing on the 2022 proposed budget on April 13 at 5 pm. James City County Board of Supervisors will vote on the new budget in May. If adopted, the budget will cover the fiscal year from July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022.