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Loudoun County Proposed Budget for FY 10
Facts & Figures
On February 9, 2009, Loudoun County Administrator Kirby M. Bowers presented to the Board of Supervisors a proposed fiscal plan for the Loudoun County government for Fiscal Year 2010 (FY 10).
The fiscal plan totals about $1.44 billion in appropriations for the general county government and school system. This is about $151 million less than the adopted budget for FY 09.
Tax Rate
The FY 10 fiscal plan includes an advertised tax rate of $1.30 per $100 in assessed value. Bowers said subsequent events have enabled him to present a balanced budget at a tax rate of $1.29, which would represent an increase of 15¢ over the adopted FY 09 tax rate of $1.14. However, because of lower assessed values, the $1.29 real property tax rate would result in a decrease of about 3.2 percent, or $167, in the average residential tax bill.
At the $1.29 tax rate, county expenditures per capita would be reduced 4.2 percent, from $1,259 to $1,206. The school costs per pupil would decrease 3.9 percent, from $13,183 to $12,667.
The personal property tax rate of $4.20 would remain unchanged under the proposed fiscal plan.
Where the Money Goes
The proposed fiscal plan includes $909 million for the school system, $484 million for general county expenditures, and $10.6 million for the Comprehensive Services Act for At-Risk Youth (CSA). The fiscal plan follows the Board of Supervisors’ direction to Bowers to present a budget that would not require any increase in local tax funding for the general county government operating budget.
The FY 10 proposed fiscal plan incorporates the School Board’s adopted budget, of which $658 million would require local funding. The School Board budget includes $787 million for operating expenditures, $1.4 million for capital projects and asset replacement, and $121 million for debt service.
The expenditure request for general county services includes $352 million for operating expenditures, $91 million for capital projects and asset replacement, and $41 million for debt service. About $246 million of the general county government budget would require local tax funding – a decrease of $3.5 million, or 1 percent, from FY 09. To achieve that reduction, Bowers has proposed programmatic reductions accompanied by a reduction of 114 full-time equivalent (FTE) staff positions in the county workforce.
About 72.3 percent of local tax funding supports the school system, and 27.1 percent supports the general county government. Of the $1.29 tax rate, 93.3¢ is directed to support the school system, 34.9¢ to support the county government, and less than one cent for the Comprehensive Services Act (CSA).
Options for Reducing Expenditures
At the Board’s direction, Bowers also presented options for reducing the use of local tax funding by five, 10 and 15 percent (Tiers 2, 3 and 4, respectively). Each tier details reductions in services, programs and personnel in increasing degrees of severity.
These reduction options include:
- Reducing levels of service and operation at county facilities;
- Closing satellite offices and some public safety facilities;
- Eliminating some programs, most of which provide community services; and
- Reducing or deferring facility maintenance.
At the 15 percent reduction level, county expenditures would be reduced by $46 million, and 404 county staff positions (FTEs) would be eliminated, most of which are currently filled.
Capital Improvement Program
The proposed Capital Improvement Program (CIP) includes $63 million in expenditures for FY 10, of which $7.2 million would be financed through local tax funding. This is a reduction of $184.2 million, or 74.5 percent, from the FY 10 CIP as planned during the FY 09 budget process.
The proposed FY 10 CIP includes the county’s contribution for the Dulles Corridor Metrorail project, along with the purchase of commuter transit buses and the paving of Allder School Road. Transportation initiatives in the FY 10 CIP total $45.5 million.
Other projects in the FY 10 CIP include the Route 9/Route 671 Fire-Rescue Station, the purchase of Fire-Rescue apparatus, and ongoing stormwater projects.
The CIP adopted by the School Board postpones all capital projects and associated funding to FY 11 and beyond.
Opportunities for Public Comment
The Board of Supervisors held three public hearings on the proposed FY 10 fiscal plan on February 25, 26 and 28.
Residents may also provide their comments to the Board of Supervisors by e-mail at loudounbudget@loudoun.gov; by calling the Citizen Comment Line, 703-777-0115; or by writing to the Board of Supervisors, P.O. Box 7000, Leesburg, VA 20177.
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