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Prince William chair proposes freezing salaries
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WASHINGTON (Map, News) - Prince William County Board of Supervisors Chairman Corey Stewart said the county should freeze employee salaries to reduce spending in light of an enormous budget shortfall.
Residential property values in the county plummeted at least 16 percent last year and put the county in at least a $51 million hole as supervisors try to expand the police force and fire department and build more schools.
“We’ve got to lower expectations with regards to spending,” Stewart told The Examiner. “The reality is that all sources of county revenue are decreasing and the state has cut back its funding for local government and for teachers.”
The board’s tight 2008 budget included a 2.75 percent raise for its approximately 3,600 full-time employees and anticipated a 2.5 percent pay raise next year.
The Board of Supervisors tentatively approved a 28 percent increase in the property tax rate that would raise taxes on the average homeowner by 10 percent next year. However, supervisors want to fund a high-profile illegal immigration crackdown that enjoyed support in the November elections and also boost the size of the fire department after its first line-of-duty fatality investigation highlighted inadequate staffing.
While County Executive Craig Gerhart has said the public has been clear they want to spend more on issues like immigration, schools, roads and safety, not everyone wants to pay for everything.
An eruption of foreclosures combined with the overall real estate slowdown to send local government revenues south. Gov. Tim Kaine added to the concern last week when he announced a proposal to cut about $135 million from state aid to local governments, further dimming the budget scenario.
“This is going to be a very tough year and there are going to be a lot of cutbacks,” said Stewart, a champion of the illegal immigration crackdown. “I am not going to pass on the problems that we have because of decreasing revenues, and, more importantly, decreasing support from the state.”
dgenz@dcexaminer.com
Comments from Examiner Readers
6:44 AM MST on Wed., Apr. 23, 2008 re: "Pr. William chairman proposes cutting $21 million in spending"
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7:01 AM MST on Wed., Dec. 19, 2007
re: "Government agency needs pile up in county despite massive deficit"
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1:46 PM MST on Mon., Oct. 29, 2007
re: "New schools, $32M deficit to dominate budget meeting"
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blue_doggette said:
Perhaps if the Supervisors signed a waiver and agreed to pay for any legal fees awarded over our 287 (g) criminal alien out of their own pockets, they would quickly appropriate the money for vehicle cameras. Going against the advice of County Attorney Horton and the CXO, Corey Stewart continues to lead the charge against these devices. Perhaps he should listen to his executive employees rather than a certain Gainesville district resident who has been giving him very bad advise.
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Examiner Reader said:
No wonder foreclosures are so high in PW county. A county of 400,000 with an estimated 70,000 illegals (at the highest). The illegals have to live somewhere....so investors buy multiple homes to use as rentals. The illegals move out because PW county cracksdown (good)....however that leaves hundreds of homes vacant....and maybe foreclosed. We'll get through this pain. The Federal Gov't caused this problem by encouraging illegals to come by their silence.....the Feds should step up and compensate PW county for the problem they caused in the first place. PW county will be fine. We'll get through this.
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Examiner Reader said:
Get rid of the Illegals and you won't need to build new schools.
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