Monday, Jan. 5:
What Will Government Cost You This Year?
Local governments awake from holiday slumber this week to lay plans for their new budgets. We’ll look at how much it may cost you. Meals and admissions taxes are on the calendar this week in Williamsburg… the Williamsburg-James City County school board starts gaming out its new budget… and real estate appraisals are expected to increase by double digits, on average, in James City County and York County.
Besides covering inflation and construction projects, keeping staff compensation competitive remains a constant theme of budgeting exercises for local government. York County says it will cost $8 million this year to make staff pay competitive in the local market.
And as always, uncertainty about federal and state budgeting impacts local planning. Over the next few months local governments will flesh out plans for next year’s fiscal year, which begins July 1.
Tuesday, Jan. 6: