(The Center Square) – Louisa County, Va. supervisors unanimously approved a $187.6 million budget Monday night that holds property tax rates steady, provides a modest rebate to taxpayers, and increases funding for public safety and capital improvements.
The real estate tax rate for fiscal year 2026 remains at 72 cents per $100 of assessed value, the same as last year. Supervisors approved a rebate equal to 2.4 cents, bringing the effective real estate tax burden down to 69.6 cents per $100 for taxpayers.
The rebate, funded through surplus revenues, will be applied as a one-time credit on upcoming tax bills. “That gets us down to 69.6 cents per $100—we got as low as we could get,” one supervisor said during the meeting.
No permanent tax rate cut was proposed. The 3.3% rebate reflects one of the few options available to Virginia counties to return surplus funds directly to residents under Virginia Code §15.2-2511.
The board also approved a $12.7 million capital improvement plan, funding infrastructure upgrades across schools, public facilities and public safety departments.
Public safety funding saw notable increases. The sheriff’s office is allocated $7.72 million for fiscal year 2026, up from $7.29 million the previous year — a 6% increase. Fire and EMS services are budgeted for $5.37 million, up from $5.03 million, reflecting a 6.6% rise.
Supervisors said the increases are intended to support growing service demands and discussed rising demand at the Louisa County Airport and a recent uptick in development applications near Lake Anna. One board member pointed to a 48-person waitlist for hangar space at the airport.
During public comment, Louisa County resident Vicky Hart questioned why affordable housing had been excluded from recent zoning decisions near Lake Anna.
She said previous developments had set aside land that could have supported lower-cost housing, adding, “I want to know why Lake Anna does not get affordable housing.”
The county’s population has grown steadily in recent years, reaching an estimated 43,000 residents in 2025, according to U.S. Census estimates. Supervisors said the new budget aims to help manage that growth by supporting transportation, utilities, public safety and community services.
The board also approved several targeted tourism allocations, including $10,000 for an outdoor concert at Louisa Arts Center, $4,999 for a Lake Anna jazz event, and $20,000 for roof repairs at the Trevilian Station Battlefield, funded partially by a matching foundation grant.
Separately, supervisors noted they would review how small-dollar funding requests are handled. Under current rules, any request over $4,999 requires full board approval.
