No tax increases are planned for Mathews County in the upcoming year. Supervisors voted unanimously at a budget work session last Wednesday to keep all tax rates for 2016-2017 the same as the current year, with a real estate tax rate of 54 cents and a personal property tax rate of $3.70 per $100 of assessed value in the proposed $23.9 million budget.

“I would rather slash and cut than raise taxes,” said supervisor O.J. Cole, suggesting that the proposed 54 cents per $100 rate could possibly be reduced even further after the public hearing on the budget, which will be held at 7 p.m. on Monday, April 18 in the historic courthouse on Court Street.

Although the school system had requested an increase in local funding of $558,627 to pay for additional positions, their associated increased benefits, a step increase, and across-the-board pay raises for all personnel, County Administrator Mindy Conner presented the board with a budget that granted the schools only $100,000 more t...