Only one resident spoke at Wednesday’s public hearing, but several sat in the audience to hear the council debate and vote on the Farmville real estate tax rate. In the end, with John Hardy and Sallie Amos opposed, a council majority approved the proposed increase. 

So what does that mean? Currently, the real estate tax rate is set at 13 cents per $100 of assessed value. After Wednesday’s vote, that increases to 22 cents when the new tax bills go out. So where does that put Farmville, in comparison with towns of similar size in Virginia? Crewe’s real estate tax rate is 30 cents. Brookneal is at 17, Blacksburg and South Boston are at 26 cents and South Hill stands at 31. 

The Farmville tax rate has moved around several times over the last 28 years. It stood at 14 cents per $100 of assessed value in 1997, then dropped to 10 cents in 2009, before rising to 12 cents in 2011. It bumped up to 13 cents in 2021. One argument made by the Farmville council majority Wednesday was that setting the tax rate at 22 cents would not just address the $1.3 million shortfall and balance the budget, but it would allow the town to keep some projects moving forward. 

Residents over the last few weeks have questioned how we got to this point, however, wondering if there were any other options. 

“Nine cents (on the tax rate) seems like a steep hike in a short amount of time,” Farmville resident Patrick Carwile told the council. He was the only person who signed up to speak during the Wednesday, April 9 public hearing. “Have we looked at reducing that tax by increasing other things in town limits as opposed to just increasing the tax? Because there’s a lot of counties that are coming to Farmville for a lot of their needs and it seems like the increase for the town is being put on the people that live in the town alone.”

Carwile also pointed out this won’t just impact property owners. The council has talked in the past about the need for housing that recent college graduates and overall young professionals can afford. However, this will cause rent prices to increase, as landlords pass on the extra cost to their tenants. 

Could we spread this out? 

In response to Carwile’s comments, council member Adam Yoelin asked if it would be possible to spread the tax increase over a three year period. The answer, Farmville Town Manager Dr. Scott Davis said, would be no, as that wouldn’t solve the problem with this year’s budget. If the council spread out the tax increase, then they would have to make cuts elsewhere in the budget for it to balance this year. 

Hardy and Amos suggested cutting the fitness park, which would save roughly $274,000. Council member Donald Hunter said originally he was in favor of that idea, “but after thinking about it and hearing from other people, they seem like they want to get something if their tax rate is increasing.” 

There could be better options, Hardy argued.

“I think there are more things in the future that would be more beneficial, (like) a basketball court and things like that would maybe garner a little more use,” Hardy said. 

He suggested removing the fitness park and setting some of that money aside, then adding to it maybe next year to build something for residents. 

Vice Mayor Chuckie Reid asked how much of that tax increase could the council remove by cutting out the fitness park. Davis said to balance the budget, it would drop from 22 cents to 20 cents, a 7 cent hike versus a 9 cent hike. 

Other council members were open to eliminating the fitness park, but questioned if the town would be giving up an opportunity. 

“We can do away with it,” Thomas Pairet said. “(But) will we have the opportunity to do this again at the price that’s being offered? It won’t get any cheaper, that’s for sure. I’m not sure that we want to give up something that will benefit the town itself.” 

Farmville tax rate goes up as revenue drops

Hunter also brought up a point that part of the revenue shortfall, the reason they’re having to increase taxes, is self-inflicted. The council, in March 2024, agreed to end their contract with ICA Farmville, the privately run facility used as a ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) detention center. That contract with ICE paid, at worst, around $150,000. 

Prince Edward County took over the contract when Farmville stepped back. County staff negotiated a deal where Prince Edward gets $2.50 per day for the first 459 detainees. If the number on a given day is above 459, the county gets $4 per detainee. As it stands, the current contract estimates an average of 264. 

“We allowed some of our revenue to go across the street,” Hunter pointed out. “That’s part of our revenue that’s gone. We’re not wasting money. We got rid of something that everyone wanted us to do.” 

At the time, multiple Longwood students staged protests and spoke out against the town’s contract, urging council members to cancel it. Even before the escapes earlier this year, the facility had attracted a number of headlines, even making national news at one point. In 2020, 93% of detainees at the facility tested positive for COVID-19. One of them, 72-year-old Canadian national James Thomas Hill, died after catching the virus.

Soon after, it was shut down until July 2022, when a settlement was reached, allowing the facility to reopen with restrictions. After the facility reopened, multiple family members of those detained came before council, saying conditions hurt their loved ones’ health. 

But that was revenue for Farmville now being paid to Prince Edward instead. So when costs increased, that funding wasn’t available to fall back on. 

What about the firehouse? 

In the council’s earlier work session, Hardy had asked if the $16 million bond for firehouse renovations could be scaled back at all, as another way to reduce the tax increase. This time, Amos asked if the town could fully postpone those renovations until next year.

Council member Daniel Dwyer said delaying the effort wouldn’t mean things would get better. 

“Sometimes postponing things, thinking that the future might be brighter is a very optimistic view,” Dwyer said. “We don’t have a crystal ball.”  

Hunter agreed, arguing that delaying would likely just increase the price. 

“Those prices are gonna increase and they’re increasing every day,” Hunter said. “We know prices are increasing on everything.” 

Plus, the council majority argued, this is a need, rather than a want. Built in 1991, there are no living quarters in the station. The women’s bathroom doesn’t have a shower, the firefighters sleep in the meeting room and do any decontamination in the apparatus bay. This renovation would mean building bunk rooms, shower rooms and laundry rooms. The gear would be stored in a separate room, one that’s constantly ventilated. 

This $11 million renovation would be done in phases. Phase One would involve building the support areas, then an expansion of the parking lot to the rear. This would allow the department to move supplies out of the existing building. Phase Two would involve developing the shell outside construction around the existing building. Once that’s done, you can finish the interior renovation, upgrade the apparatus bay and do any final paving. This is estimated at a 12-14 month project. The $16 million bond cost is set up to cover any future inflation or additional funding increases that pop up during construction. 

Farmville Mayor Brian Vincent said his house assessment was up 34%, his adjoining piece of property was up 43% in value. A 22 cent tax rate means roughly an extra $26 per month in tax for him. 

“It’s not fun to think about, it’s not enjoyable to think about,” Vincent said. “But if I think about a Farmville fire department that is more set up for full-time firefighters, 24-hour fire service, and the benefit that brings for safety to homeowners in the town, then I start to feel a little bit like ok I can do it.” 

Vincent echoed the caution that if the town delays renovations, the price will just keep going up. He also held out hope that increased fire coverage might lead to some reductions in homeowner insurance costs, but that’s not guaranteed.   

Moving forward with Farmville tax rate

Council member Hunter made the motion to increase the tax rate to 22 cents per $100 of assessed value. Council members Hardy and Amos voted no. The rest voted in favor.