The following is a press release from the Jefferson Area Libertarians

Last Wednesday (June 1) the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors approved a 4.4% pay raise for themselves, after allowing an enormous increase in taxes on many of its citizens less than two months ago.

“This pay raise may not account for much in the overall picture of a $250 million dollar budget, but it is a final slap in the face to Albemarle County property owners,” stated JAL Chair Arin Sime.

Mr. Sime noted that only two years ago, the Albemarle County budget was $218 million dollars. This year, the Board used the excuse of rising property assessments to approve a budget of $250 million. They made a token decrease in the property tax rate from 76 cents to 74 cents per $100 of assessed value; this decrease only slightly lessened the enormous increase in property taxes for most property owners in the county.

JAL members had urged the Board to adopt a 60 cent per $100 rate at the final budget hearing; according to JAL estimates this would still allow the County budget to increase to $232 million, a 6.5% increase over the County budget a mere two years ago. The decrease in the property tax rate proposed by the JAL would be necessary to keep property taxes from rising for the average County homeowner.

Mr. Sime asked, "If they won't keep property taxes for Albemarle families from skyrocketing, why do they think they deserve a pay increase? Is this what they consider doing a good job?

For more information, please visit www.JALibertarians.org. (June 6, 2005)