Before 1998 — when the RSA was established between the supervisors and the School Board — the two bodies had an unofficial agreement where PWCS received 51% of the county’s revenue and the county received the other 49%.
In 1998, the bodies came to an official agreement that allocated nearly 57% of the county’s revenue to PWCS, with 43% left for the county’s operations. In 2013, the RSA was amended to increase PWCS’ allocation to over 57% and the county’s to just under 43%.
OCCOQUAN, Va. — A series of notable developments unfolded at the April 15, 2025, Occoquan Town Council meeting, including a leadership change and updates to the town’s ongoing budget planning.
Councilwoman Nancy Freeborn Britain, who was elected to the Town Council in 2022, formally announced her resignation, citing a new career opportunity that will take her to Staunton during the workweek. Britain was recently hired as the Program Director for a master’s degree program at Mary Baldwin University, where she will oversee 120 students and serve as a department chair.
MANASSAS PARK, Va. — Manassas Park homeowners could see their tax bills rise by hundreds of dollars under the proposed Fiscal Year 2026 budget, despite a planned reduction in the city’s real estate tax rate.
City Manager Carl Cole presented the $129 million budget to the Governing Body on April 22, 2025, proposing a one-cent reduction to the real estate tax rate, which would lower it to $1.395 per $100 of assessed value. However, because the average assessed value of residential properties increased by 7.48%, the typical single-family homeowner, with an average home value of $507,689, would still pay approximately $483 more in real estate taxes next year.
STAFFORD COUNTY, Va. – Stafford County homeowners will see a higher real estate tax rate this year — $0.9236 per $100 of assessed value — as the Board of Supervisors adopted the Fiscal Year 2026 budget on April 15. Although the tax rate is three cents higher than last year, it remains two cents lower than the original proposal by the County Administrator.
By comparison, neighboring Prince William County, with four times Stafford’s population, lowered its real estate tax rate to $0.906 per $100. Despite the rate cut, higher home values in Prince William mean its homeowners will still pay more. The average tax bill in Prince William is $5,162, based on a typical home value of $569,772. In Stafford, the average homeowner will pay $4,069 on a home valued at $434,400.
At the April 15 meeting, the Prince William Board of County Supervisors made its final changes to the fiscal year 2026 budget and tax rates.
The Board, after fruitful discussion and back-and-forth, reduced the real estate tax rate to $0.906 per $100 of assessed value from the county executive’s proposed rate of 92 cents in February.
Ahead of fiscal year 2025, Ashworth similarly requested more staff members despite the Board being reluctant to fund additional positions. In response, Ashworth sent a letter to the Board stating she would withhold prosecution of certain misdemeanor charges if the Board didn’t approve her request.
“The bottom line is that this office was not properly staffed and funded for decades as the County grew up around us,” Ashworth wrote in an email to Potomac Local in April 2024.
A push by Councilmember Sonia Vasquez Luna to raise the business computer equipment tax rate met resistance Monday night, as the Manassas City Council instead chose to maintain the current rate of $2.15 per $100 of assessed value.
Vasquez Luna proposed aligning the computer equipment tax, data center tax, and personal property tax (vehicles) at a uniform $3.50 rate, saying it would offer consistency and potentially allow the city to reduce the tax burden on vehicle owners.
Dozens of Stafford County residents packed the chambers Tuesday night during a special-called meeting of the Board of Supervisors to weigh in on the proposed $1.015 billion Fiscal Year 2026 budget — and the tax increase that may come with it.
The meeting featured a detailed budget presentation by Chief Financial Officer Andrea Light, followed by a public hearing where residents delivered emotional appeals both for and against the proposed increase in the county’s real estate tax rate.
On Tuesday, Manassas Park City Schools presented the governing body with a $64.8 million operating budget for Fiscal Year 2026. The budget outlines key priorities to improve academic performance, boost teacher compensation, and expand student wellness and mental health services.
Superintendent Dr. Melissa Saunders and Finance Director Mr. Lyon led the presentation, which showcased the division’s efforts to balance rising costs with a continued decline in student enrollment.
