Orange County Insight May 2025

Ted’s Talk

Team Orange:

Public Safety Pay Scales have been adjusted. Relevant personnel will receive more details in the coming months. On the health insurance front, Orange County continues its commitment to reducing healthcare costs for employees by absorbing the increase in cost this year. I want to thank Crystal Sisk Aylor and Ashley Jacobs for their work on the budget along with all the Directors who put in the extra effort to transition to Program Budgeting. This work will pay off with our strategic alignment and performance management work in the years ahead. I also want to especially recognize Glenda Paul. This was her last budget before her planned retirement. Orange County will forever be grateful for her professionalism in guiding our financial stewardship over more than a decade as budget officer. As the Board concluded its vote on the budget, Chairman Johnson made it clear how important it will be to focus on diversifying our economy going forward. Residential growth does not pay for itself. Accordingly, as citizens discover the many benefits to living in Orange County, we will need to focus on expanding the non-residential tax base to support and expand services to meet community needs.

The budget is approved!

We’re here for you... Orange County Administration There are a few related items that will be of interest to staff. In addition to the 3% pay increases, full-time employees of Constitutional Officers, Voter Registration & Elections, and Social Services will receive an additional 1.5% bonus, based on state salaries, at the direction of the General Assembly. To maintain competitiveness within our region, our This budget season was particularly challenging as the Board gave priority to “revenue equalization” with the new tax rates. As reported previously, property values across our community have grown over 30% on average since the last reassessment in 2020. This means that the County would realize 30% more revenue if the real estate tax rate was left the same. Wishing to avoid placing this burden on taxpayers, the Board adopted a fully equalized tax rate for the General Fund. This made the funding of new initiatives unrealistic. However, through creativity and focus, we can continue our current service levels moving forward and have enough flexibility to provide 3%-of-midpoint salary increases for all employees effective with the first payroll in July. The Fire and Rescue Fund is supported by a separate real estate tax that may only be used for fire and rescue services. This levy could not support existing services if fully equalized. Accordingly, the tax rate for this fund will increase 4 cents per $100 of assessed value on real property. While no significant service level increases are funded, we can maintain service levels and support our COFEMS team with two personnel dedicated to training our career staff, volunteers, and our high school career and technical education classes.

Ted Voorhees,

Orange County Administrator

SUBSCRIBE to the INSIGHT

Physical Address 112 West Main Street,

Orange, VA 22960 Mailing Address P.O. Box 111 Orange, VA 22960 Phone: (540) 672-3313 Fax: (540) 672-1679 Email the Editor newsletter@orangecountyva.gov www.orangecountyva.gov

Cover Photo: Orange Volunteer Fire Company Personnel prepare a ‘patient’ for transport during the Mock Crash event at OCHS.

OCI May 2025