On Tuesday, April 18, 2023, the Goochland County Board of Supervisors adopted the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Budget, which begins on July 1, 2023. The adopted FY 2024 total County Budget of $141.4 million advances county priorities, maintains the real estate tax rate at $0.53 per $100 assessed value for Calendar Year 2023, decreases the Personal Property Tax Rate for personal vehicles by $0.76 to $2.99 per $100 assessed value, and includes tax relief initiatives.
The FY 2024 total County Budget is a $17.0 million or 13.7% increase from the Fiscal Year 2023 budget. The FY 2024 $89.1 million County General Fund budget represents an $14.8 million or 19.8% increase from the FY2023 budget.
The FY 2024 Budget includes two tax relief measures to help take care of citizens in our community. It decreases the personal property tax rate from $3.75 to $2.99 per $100 assessed value for citizens whose vehicles are eligible for personal property tax relief (PPTR). It also increases the personal property tax relief (PPTR) rate applied to the first $20,000 of each personal vehicle to 32%.
Priorities for the FY2024 Budget include enhancing the high-quality core services provided by Education and Public Safety. Total County planned investments in Education for Fiscal Year 2024 increased $1.8 million, or 6.9% over the prior year (not including Capital Improvements). The budget for Public Safety, a key focus area for the budget, grew by $4.1 million or 21.3% over the current fiscal year.
The Fiscal Year 2024 budget includes additional investments in employees. This budget provides a 7% pay increase for all employees. In addition, all Sheriff deputies and Fire-Rescue employees will receive an additional 4% pay increase, and all Emergency Communications employees will receive an additional 6% increase. These additional pay increases will help Goochland County retain its trained employees in this exceptionally competitive market.
The FY 2024 Budget also marks the sixth year of utilizing a twenty-five-year Capital Improvement Program (CIP) to meet the capital needs of the County and Schools. The FY 2024 – FY 2048 CIP contains $612.5 million for forecasted projects including needed investments in education and public safety such as new elementary schools, a new courthouse, and new fire stations. The first year of the CIP for FY 2024 is $26.1 million and includes investments in the new Goochland Elementary School and a new West Creek fire station.