The Mathews County Board of Supervisors unanimously adopted a $23.6 million budget for FY 2018 during Tuesday’s April meeting. Board members also unanimously approved a real estate tax rate of 57.5 cents per $100 in value to support the budget.

In calling for a motion, chairman Jack White said that the budget process this year had been “very painful for all of us.” While the equalized tax rate was 2.13 cents per $100 of assessed value, he said, the adopted tax rate includes an actual increase of 1.37 cents per $100, for a total increase of 3.5 cents.

When the board voted for a 7 cents per $100 increase in taxes four years ago, said White, “I thought we had anticipated everything that would occur in this four-year cycle.” But unfunded mandates, increases in health care costs, and an increased retirement burden had eaten away the extra, he said.

White said the board had also recently asked the voters to approve a meals tax.

“I know it’s hard ...