Accomack Board votes to send FY22 budget to public hearing

In what was somewhat of a surprise move, the Accomack County Board of Supervisors voted Wednesday night to send the proposed $60 million budget to a public hearing.  Earlier in the meeting the Board heard presentations from  911 Director Jeff Flournoy and Superintendent Chris Holland and CFO Beth Onley of the Accomack County School System.   Then the Board received the formal request for the FY22 county operating budget from County Administrator Mike Mason.

Supervisor Donald Hart said the budget was well prepared, met the immediate needs of the County and would not require extended sessions to pass. The budget, as presented, contains no tax increases. Hart then suggested that there was no real reason to prolong the budget process and said he would be in favor of voting to send it to public hearing tonight.

Discussion ensued and it appeared the rest of the Board members would go along with Hart’s suggestion.

Mason said he did not include anticipated revenues from either a proposed meal tax or a cigarette tax. When asked if those items could be addressed at a later meeting, Mason said they could and, if approved, the current budget could be revised to include the changes at a later date. Any changes of this nature would require a separate public hearing.

Board Chairman Ron Wolff, a former restaurant owner, said he didn’t have any problem with a meals tax, but in earlier discussions with the Board and staff, it was learned that a cigarette tax would be expensive to set up, administrate, and enforce.  Wolff said that it could be that after all of the expenses involved in setting up, administrating and enforcing the cigarette tax the net revenue to the county may not be worth it.

Supervisor Hart made the motion to send the budget to a public hearing and scheduled it for Monday, March 22 at 5 p.m. at Metompkin Elementary School.

A copy of the budget is posted on the County website for members of the public to view.

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