MANASSAS, Va. – Manassas leaders agreed Monday night to keep the city’s tax rate steady for the upcoming fiscal year, despite calls from some on the City Council to lower it and give homeowners a break.
While the tax rate isn’t changing, rising property values mean most homeowners will still see bigger tax bills when they arrive later this year.
The council voted 5-1 to hold the real estate tax rate at $1.26 per $100 of assessed value, the same rate residents paid last year. That rate, combined with increased property assessments across the city, is expected to raise the average annual tax bill by about $406, according to city budget documents.
Councilwoman Theresa Coates Ellis cast the lone “no” vote, pushing for at least a 7-cent rate cut to keep bills flat. Councilwomen Sonia Vasquez Luna and Ashley Hutson also voiced interest in a smaller cut but ultimately voted to keep the rate unchanged.
“I just want to make sure that you feel heard,” Vasquez Luna told residents during the meeting. “We all want to reduce the financial burden on families. But high-quality services come at a cost.”
Council members supporting the flat rate pointed to growing costs for schools, police, fire services, and city workers. The adopted budget includes:
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$1.5 million more for Manassas City Public Schools to help cover teacher and staff pay raises.
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Funding for five new public safety positions, including three firefighters.
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3% pay raises for city employees.
Vice Mayor Mark D. Wolfe defended the decision, noting that Manassas still has lower average tax bills and utility rates than most of Northern Virginia, even with the increase.
“You can’t have a great community with shrinking resources,” Wolfe said. “This budget invests in public safety, education, infrastructure, and quality of life.”
The council also unanimously approved keeping the personal property tax rate at $3.60 per $100, applying the same rate to data center computer equipment for the first time. Council members noted that this move brings Manassas in line with Prince William County’s rates but keeps small business equipment taxed at a lower $2.15 per $100.
Several residents urged the council to cut more, pointing to the strain of inflation and rising living costs. Others raised concerns about the city’s long-term reliance on new development and data centers to balance its budget.
The city will hold a public hearing on the full budget June 2, with a final vote scheduled for June 9.
Press Release from Prince William County:
Prince William County’s personal property and second half real estate taxes for 2024 are due by Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024.
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Personal Property Tax bills are due on 11/6. If you wish to pay your bill online, by check, you may need a new account number. Please call/email our Customer Service team at 703-361-9306 or [email protected]. Provide your name, address, and old account number. pic.twitter.com/YlduZMp0Jc
— City of Manassas Park (@ManassasParkGov) October 22, 2024
The Prince William Board of County Supervisors unanimously voted to extend the payment deadline for personal property taxes from October 7 to December 5, 2024. This new deadline aligns with the due date for real estate taxes. However, as previously scheduled, the Business Tangible Personal Property Tax will remain due on October 7, 2024.
The decision to extend the personal property tax deadline aims to provide relief to residents who would otherwise have to make two substantial tax payments within a short timeframe. Some board members raised concerns about the potential strain on retirees and others living on fixed incomes who might struggle to meet both tax obligations simultaneously.
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Currently, only businesses with gross receipts over $500,000 pay a BPOL tax, a tax enacted to fund the second war between the U.S. and the British in 1812. The threshold has been in place since 2022 after the Prince William Chamber of Commerce pushed county supervisors in 2015 to increase the taxation threshold from $250,000.
Today, the county levies a BPOL tax on a business’s gross receipts and uses the funds to help fund the local government. However, its implementation can vary widely among jurisdictions, leading to disparities in business tax burdens.
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Stafford County Government: "Stafford County Board of Supervisors adopted a second Emergency Ordinance, EO23-02, on December 12, 2023, to extend zero penalties and interest through January 5, 2024. This effort was due to the financial uncertainty concerning the delayed adoption of the federal budget and the effects this may have on the residents of Stafford County. This decision will allow taxpayers more time to pay their Personal Property tax bills."
"There is no State Code authority for the Board to waive penalties and interest, but the Board can set the amount for penalties and interest to $0 and 0%. Virginia Code sets a maximum amount of penalties and interest but no minimum. The changes cannot be applied retroactively. State Code allows an emergency ordinance to delay the penalties and interest for up to 60 days."
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Stafford County leaders support new legislation allowing them to hike the county sales tax to pay for school construction.
Virginia State Senator Jeremy McPike (D-29, Prince William, Stafford) has introduced legislation (SB14) in the upcoming January 2024 General Assembly session that would allow any county or city to let voters decide to hike the sales tax by 1%, a fee paid at retail shops and restaurants. Delegate-Elect Joshua Cole (D-65, Fredericksburg, Stafford) said he'll introduce similar legislation in the House of Delegates when he takes office in January.
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Stafford County Government: "Due to the financial uncertainty concerning the delayed adoption of the federal budget and the effects this may have on the residents of Stafford County, the Board of Supervisors adopted on October 17, 2023, an Emergency Ordinance EO23-01 to temporarily lower penalties to zero for the Personal Property tax payments due December 5. This will allow taxpayers more time to pay their Personal Property tax bills. Please note that the Board desires to extend zero penalty through January 5, 2023."
"However, another emergency ordinance must be brought to the Board of Supervisors for approval at the December 12, 2023 meeting."
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Stafford County Supervisor Crystal Vanuch: "I have great news… remember a few weeks ago when I said I was introducing a request for more time to pay personal property taxes due in December? Well, it passed our Board 6-1 on Tuesday! They are now penalty-free until January 5, and you will have more time to make those payments."
"Personal property tax bills go out at the beginning of November. These bills are due December 5th. With the impending government shutdown on top of difficult economic conditions, I think allowing residents an additional 30 days, penalty-free, to pay these bills is necessary. The bills will be penalty-free until January 5th."
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Stafford County Public Schools have partnered with the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) grant program to create the first student-run tax preparation program in Virginia.
The VITA grant program is an IRS initiative designed to support free tax preparation for the under-served demographics such as persons with low-to-moderate income individuals, people with disabilities, the elderly, and those who speak limited English.
