Facing a potential 5-cent real estate tax increase, county supervisors in Buckingham owe it to the citizens and taxpayers of the county to explore other revenue sources.

Just as important, they owe it to taxpayers to listen seriously to what their veteran county administrator, Rebecca S. Carter, has to say.

Two years ago, at this same time, following the reassessment of real estate, Carter recommended a tax increase of 56 cents per $100 of assessed value, up from 44 cents, noting the looming increased expenditures coming down the pike. Supervisors chose to raise the rate to 50 cents instead.

Next year’s rate, under the advertised budget, would become 55 cents, if approved.

“Unfortunately, at this time, with the revenue sources we have, it is my recommendation that a tax rate of 56-cents be advertised for public hearing,” Carter said in 2014. “With the board having full knowledge that this will have to be revisited in 2016 and that the board will consider the meals tax referendum request (to distribute the tax burden to others than real estate owners) and also the solid waste fee (to distribute the tax burden to others than real estate owners).”

There’s no doubt that Carter was right on the money.

Supervisors don’t have the authority to approve a meals tax because it didn’t pass a voter referendum, according to Carter.

They can, however, and should consider and seriously study a per-household solid waste fee instead of relying so heavily on land taxes.

“Another option may be to implement a $10 per month household solid waste fee to be collected by the county,” Carter said two years ago, stating that the fee could yield about $700,000 in revenue, equaling 4 cents of real estate tax.

“This would be to get you through two years,” she said of the 56-cent rate. “When we compare this to other areas, it’s still not a bad rate.”

Her 2014 scenario of five-year expected needs totaled about $3.6 million, “or a 25-cent tax increase.”

Heeding Carter’s advice two years ago would have softened the blow to taxpayers

Exploring other revenues would do the same.