The Culpeper County Board of Supervisors considered during a meeting on April 19 both the proposed real estate and passenger vehicle tax, which projects good news for residents as one is projected to stay the same and the other decreased.
According to numbers provided by the county, staff is proposing to maintain the real estate tax rate at 55 cents and proposing to reduce the personal property tax rate for passenger vehicles from $3.50 to $3 for fiscal year 2023.
The total real estate tax is made up of 47 cents for the general fund and 8 cents for the fire and rescue levy.
The fire and rescue levy funds the County Emergency Management Department and funds 100% of the operational costs for the Culpeper County Volunteer Fire and Rescue Association.
A house in Culpeper, for example, assessed at $375,000 with a real estate tax rate of 55 cents per $100 would cost $2,062 per year to the homeowner.
In comparison to the same home with different tax rates found in surrounding counties, the homeowner would pay $3,499 per year in Fauquier, $2,775 per year in Madison, $2,737 per year in Rappahannock and $2,700 per year in Orange counties.
“As you can see by the attachments, we have maintained our Tax Rates while still being able to build many quality of life Projects for our community,” Board Chairman Gary Deal wrote on social media.
He listed CTEC, the Fieldhouse, the Sport Complex Fields Lights, Rural Broadband Expansion, the George Washington Carver Center, the new Early Head Start Building and the Affordable Housing project as major initiatives that the county has been able to make a reality.
“We are planning for the future and we are involved in economic development initiatives that will allow us to take on future projects such as refurbishing a school, or building a school if needed, and assisting our Fire & Rescue Association,” he continued. “There are great things happening in Culpeper!”
A car in Culpeper, for example, assessed at $25,000 with a personal property tax proposed at $3 would cost $750 per year to the owner.
In comparison to the same home with different tax rates found in surrounding counties, the homeowner would pay $862 per year in Fauquier, $900 per year in Madison, $812 per year in Rappahannock and $875 per year in Orange counties.
At the regular May 3 meeting, the board will consider adoption of the tax rate, adoption of the FY 23 operation and capital budget, adoption of the capital improvements plan and approval of an appropriation resolution.
Since the tax rate was advertised as such, the board cannot adopt a rate any higher but it can be reduced.
In FY 2021 in Culpeper, the county budget totaled $179.1 million with a 62 cents tax rate. In FY 2022 with a budget of $191.9 million, the rate dropped to 55 cents.
