James City County's $390 million budget by the numbers.
Good morning! It's May 15. Besides budget news today, York County school year may start and end sooner, and the trial of a former cop accused of shooting another cop slated for Dec. 9-12.
James City County Supervisors approved a $390.5 million budget for the Fiscal Year 2026 that begins July 1.
The budget does not carry forward the 5-cent tax credit on real estate property taxes, which County Administrator Scott Stevens said would raise the average homeowner’s tax by 6%. It also continues plans to spend $230 million for a new government office center and an adjoining library.
The tax credit was put into effect for a year to provide some relief from double digit increases resulting from the 2024 property assessment. Homeowners’ average tax bills increased by 15% last year, Stevens said, and will increase another 6% with December’s tax bills.
Next year will see a new property assessment, since they are carried out every two years. State law requires regular assessments of property values, Stevens said, which are based on sales of comparable homes, or the closest possible match.
The final price of the government center, which has nearly doubled to $189.5 million from original projections when consultants recommended it three years ago, won’t be fixed until the designers finalize the design in October or November, Stevens said.
“They will give us a price” at that time, he said. “That will be the price….they’re at risk as much as we are.”
The budget includes:
An additional $3.9 million for the Williamsburg-James City County school division
A 3% pay raise for county employees effective July 1, with an additional 1% raise in January
A $2.4 million increase in debt service to cover the cost of capital projects that were postponed during Covid.
Before the budget meeting, which drew 20 speakers against the plan, the supervisors met as the Board of Directors of the James City Service Authority to approve its budget and approve new water and sewer rates.
The rate increases, which will help pay for infrastructure improvements, will increase the average family’s monthly combined bill by 31.5% over the next four years:
York schools looking at starting, ending sooner
York County schools are on a path to start classes earlier and take a slightly shorter summer break in a few years.
A survey of 2,245 families, employees and students showed a majority would like to begin school two weeks before Labor Day, and end around June 9, the York County School Board was told Monday.
About 41% -- the largest single group -- wanted a 10-week summer break with a few additional student holidays during the school year, the board was told.
York schools began opening before Labor Day in the 2021-22 school year, two years after the General Assembly gave localities the right to do so.
The board appointed a calendar committee to look at the overall schedule and to get feedback from stakeholders. The survey was posted March 13-23, and 65% of respondents were families.
School employees comprised another 29%, and students made up the remaining 4% of those who responded to the survey.
At their Monday work session, the board reached consensus to tentatively adopt an Aug. 24 start date for the 2026- 27 school year.
The calendar committee will begin looking at how the calendar would roll out and develop an official recommendation for the board’s vote early next school year.
Trial for JCC cop accused of shooting police sergeant set for Dec. 9-12
The trial of a former James City County policeman charged with shooting a police sergeant has been rescheduled for Dec. 9-12, a month shy of three years since the incident took place.
Michael T. Rusk, 27, is charged with aggravated malicious wounding and a gun charge for shooting Sgt. Christopher Gibson after a fight in the parking lot of the Brickhouse Tavern Jan. 25, 2023. Rusk claimed Gibson had been sexually harassing him and he feared he wanted to rape him.
His attorney, W. Peyton Akers, postponed a trial scheduled last month, saying the prosecution did not provide him with critical evidence in time to go to trial.
He told Williamsburg Watch a new court date has been set for December. Rusk’s trial has been postponed three times.
Rusk has separately filed a $5.5 million civil lawsuit against James City County and the police.
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Fun and games:
Twilight Concert Series at Sweethaven Lavender. Friday, May 16. $15 admission includes U-pick lavender bouquet.
Superhero Weekend at Williamsburg Campground. May 16-18.
The Commodores Concert at Busch Gardens. Saturday May 17, 7 p.m. included with park admission.
Family Fun Fest, Chickahominy Riverfront Park. Saturday, May 17. $10 for parking.
Passings
Sharon Vanessa Byrd,68, May 9.
Jasper M. Graves Sr., 62, May 7.
Joseph John Fuentes, 66, May 8.
Catherine Yates Short, 91, May 11.
Tina Marie Heisler, 62, May 11.