2020-01-02 Support for Equal Taxing Authority for School Boards PITTSYLVANIA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
RESOLUTION # 2020-01-02
SUPPORT FOR EQUAL TAXING AUTHORITY FOR SCHOOL BOARDS
WHEREAS,at the Business Meeting of the Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors(the"Board")held
on Monday, January 27, 2020, in the General District Courtroom of the Edwin R. Shields Courthouse Addition,
the following Resolution was presented and adopted:
WHEREAS,under the Code of Virginia county governments have less authority to raise revenues to meet
their responsibilities than do cities and towns; and
WHEREAS, limitations on counties' ability to raise revenues from diverse sources result in an over-
reliance on real property taxes to fund basic services of local government; and
WHEREAS, counties are limited in their ability to raise revenues from meals, cigarette, transient
occupancy, and admissions taxes that are available to cities and towns; and
WHEREAS, providing counties equal taxing authority merely provides local boards of supervisors the
ability to levy the same taxes that may already be imposed by city councils; and
WHEREAS,county local governments have the same responsibility as cities for the funding of the local
share of K-12 education minimum standards as prescribed in the Standards of Quality (SOQs); and
WHEREAS, adjusting for inflation, state direct aid has fallen eight percent (8%) per student for K-12
public schools in Virginia since 2009; and
WHEREAS, SOQ funding has historically funded less than seventy percent(70%) of actual reported K-
12 positions; and
WHEREAS, local average annual growth in K-12 spending has exceeded state growth; and
WHEREAS, in 2018-2019, Virginia localities invested $4.2 billion above the required local effort for
SOQ programs; and
WHEREAS, without the local share of K-12 funding, Virginia's rank on state per-pupil funding goes
from 26th to 42nd in the nation; and
WHEREAS,many localities in general lack a sufficient real property tax base to support and fund major
K-12 operational and capital needs; and
WHEREAS,additional available revenues would allow counties options to invest additional funds in the
operation of schools, including capital costs, more competitive teacher pay, and other pressing K-12 needs; and
WHEREAS, additional available revenues would allow counties the flexibility to invest in such needed
areas as public safety, public health, refuse collection and disposal, and other services vital to a healthy
community; and
WHEREAS,state enabling legislation is legally required for additional taxing authority for counties; and
WHEREAS, each locality is best positioned to determine the support of its residents for additional
revenue authority;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors does
hereby resolve and express its support and desire for the Virginia General Assembly to enact such legislation as
is necessary to authorize Virginia counties to exercise additional taxing authority equal to that of cities and towns.
Given under my hand this 27th day of January, 2020.
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obert W. Warren, hairman
,e° Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors
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id M. mi4nman, Clerk
Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors