Augusta County Board of Supervisors votes no on tax rate increase

AUGUSTA COUNTY, Va. (WHSV) - For the past two years, police body and dash cameras have been a topic of discussion in Augusta County.

The budget for the 2023/2024 year included a proposed tax rate increase of one cent to fund body and dash cams for the Augusta County Sheriffs’ Office.

At a public hearing for the tax rate increase to fund the cameras earlier in April, 15 residents spoke both for and against having the increase for the cameras.

However, the Augusta County Board of Supervisors voted Wednesday night to keep the tax rates the same.

This means there would be no increase to fund the police body and dash cameras in next year’s budget.

”We had a poll of 801 individuals on the internet that returned 90% favorable for cameras and those who wanted to pay for it 80%,” Scott Seaton, member of the Augusta County Board of Supervisors said during its Wednesday meeting.

The board voted 2-5 against the advertised budget with the tax rate increase.

They in turn voted 5-2 to approve the original balanced budget.

With the approval of the original balanced budget, the tax rate increase of one cent for personal property tax was not approved.

The board voted to keep the current rates making real estate tax 63 cents in Augusta County.