PWC Residents -
It’s easy to tell it’s an election year when suddenly a flat tax bill for homeowners is on the table even though it was rejected by Chair Wheeler and the board majority in February. At least my colleagues are moving in the right direction; however, the real estate rate at 96.6 cents falls short of providing true tax relief to the residents. It seems to be an attempt to give the appearance of understanding taxpayer burdens without addressing the core issue of excessive tax and spending. Incredibly, this rate still allows the county to increase spending by $150 million over last year! $150 million MORE for them to spend on their wish lists, but where is the tax break for residents?
Folks, there is absolutely NO reason that your tax bill can’t GO DOWN. The reason Chair Wheeler and her colleagues don’t support decreasing your bill is because that would stop their spending spree. Their wish list has even grown over the past month with new projects in Woodbridge, Potomac and Neabsco Districts. That’s right, the real estate tax bill may be flat, but you’ll pay more in the fire levy, stormwater and landfill fees, AND you still pay an extra 4% meals tax to fund their pet projects.
Remember all those promises that more data centers would LOWER your residential bills? NOT true! They took all the increased data center revenues and spent every penny. $150 million in new spending and NOT ONE SINGLE DIME proposed for funding a Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) program, even though they voted for the program in 2021 as a tool to preserve our rural area. The lack of allocation of funds to the PDR program is a clear indication of their insatiable appetite to spend taxpayer dollars without considering the long-term needs and sustainability of our community. It is disheartening to see that Chair Wheeler and her majority are prioritizing excessive spending while neglecting important programs that promote responsible development and conservation of our county's resources.
I urge you to join me in advocating for responsible fiscal policies that prioritize the financial well-being of our community and provide meaningful tax relief. The FY22 taxes resulted in a $66 million surplus. Then in just the first quarter of FY23 was a $15 million surplus. You’ve been overtaxed and these massive surpluses must stop.
