By Brandon Martin
A number of resolutions were passed by the Patrick County Board of Supervisors during their July 13 meeting, chiefly among them was one that would allow county residents to choose if they would raise their local sales and use tax by one cent in order to fund school capital improvements.
Gov. Ralph Northam signed House Bill 46, which will put the decision in the voters’ hands on November’s ballot. The current sales and use tax is 5.3 percent, with one percent of that going to localities instead of the state. If approved by voters in November, the proposed increase would double the amount that localities will receive while making the total sales and use tax 6.3 percent.
“This is a one cent tax that can only be used for school projects — capital projects,” Board Chairman Jane Fulk said. “Without this, the county itself would have to fund the capital projects.”
Vice Chairman Crystal Harris agreed that the step was a wise decision for the county.
“Patrick County citizens don’t need their taxes raised to do this and it cannot happen unless we do this,” she said. “I just urge that we pass it so it’ll be put on the ballot. It’s to save the taxpayers,” she said before the vote.
Passage of the one percent increase means those who live outside of the county will help pay for part of the county schools’ capital improvements when they spend their money in the county. It also prevents the need for the county to raise real estate or property taxes to cover the costs.
In addition to the resolution, a public hearing regarding the matter was set for July 27 at 6:30 p.m.
Another resolution regarding firearm legislation was passed following public comments from David Robinette of Patrick Springs.
He made references to one of the bills signed by Northam that allows city councils and boards of supervisors to ban guns in government buildings and areas such as public parks, recreation or community centers, or outdoor areas being used during permitted events. As part of the legislation in subsection F, notices must be posted anywhere that the locality prohibits firearms.
Robinette said that the law will lead to gun owners “not knowing if they are breaking the law wherever they go.” He noted that he thought the stricter local gun ordinances would be detrimental to the county’s tourism.
“I think I speak for a majority of good citizens in this county in saying that I would like to urge the Board to carefully consider this resolution and to unanimously and quickly enact it to show that we care, here, about the basic rights of our citizens that are guaranteed both under the Virginia and U.S. constitutions,” Robinette said.
The resolution was introduced by a motion from Clayton Kendrick Jr., of the Mayo River District, who asked County Attorney Alan Black if he had read the resolution before taking a formal vote.
“I have seen the resolution but I have not read the statute that he is referring to as far as what the state is allowing localities to control,” Black said. “This is not a binding resolution. The board can do whatever they please regarding this resolution. It’s basically a policy statement.”
Building off of a previous resolution by the county which designated the area as a “Second Amendment Sanctuary,” the new resolution states that the board “hereby declares Patrick County, Virginia, shall not exercise any authority granted to it by § 15.2-915(E) of the Code of Virginia to regulate or prohibit the otherwise legal purchase, possession, or transfer of firearms or ammunition.”
The resolution passed unanimously.
Other resolutions were approved for Virginia Department of Transportation SmartScale projects for sidewalks in Stuart and on Salem Highway and Ashby Drive.
In other matters, the board:
* Scheduled a public hearing on July 27 at 7 p.m., for coronavirus relief funding to amend the budget for fiscal year 2021 due to the amount received being more than one percent of the total budget.
* Awarded a contract to Hydro Air Systems, Inc., for the Bull Mountain E911 heating and air conditioning proposal.
* Extended the continuity of operations associated with the pandemic disaster for 60 days from the July 13 meeting.
* Extended contracts to MiNet (internet and telephone), Clark Gas and Oil (oil and propane), and to Sprint (cellphones).
