The Mathews County Board of Supervisors adopted a total county budget of $36.34 million for fiscal year 2026 and set the real estate tax rate at 60 cents per $100 of assessed value (an increase of 4 cents over the current rate of 56 cents) during a sparsely-attended meeting last Thursday, May 1, in the historic courthouse.
The vote on both measures was 4-1, with supervisor Dave Jones dissenting.
Of the total budget, $26.197 million will come from local revenues, while the $10 million balance will come from state and federal funding. Local expenses include transfers of $9,148,400 to the schools, $1,152,375 to Social Services, and $1,667,138 to capital improvements and special projects. This leaves the county with an operating budget of $14.23 million.
During discussion, supervisor Mike Walls said that three years ago he promised Mathews residents that he would never vote to raise the tax rate until every aspect of the budget had been scrutinized.
“We have done that,” he said. “We have t...