Mathews County Administrator Mindy Conner said that 2016 marks the eighth year that Mathews County, along with local governments nationwide, will contend with the ongoing financial challenges caused by the national economic downturn—a situation that has become the “new normal.”

High unemployment and underemployment continue to have a major impact on families and tax revenues within the county, said Conner. While local revenues remain relatively stable, she said, state funding provided for the county for education and other purposes will continue to be well below the levels of 2007 and earlier.

In addition, she said, the payments toward retirement for the school system employees that the General Assembly has delayed have now come due and will add even more stress to the budget.

Regulatory mandates from the federal Environmental Protection Agency and the state Department of Environmental Quality regarding stormwater and ground water management will have additional im...