LYNCHBURG, Va. – The Lynchburg City Council has just one week left to approve the budget for the next fiscal year, and with only days to spare, the final version remains uncertain. One thing is clear: a proposal to cut the car tax while raising property taxes is off the table.
Councilmembers convened Tuesday afternoon to discuss a path forward. Mayor Larry Taylor abruptly adjourned a public hearing Monday night at the request of Councilmember Chris Faraldi, who had proposed the tax plan.
“I talked to the mayor late yesterday morning, and he told me that he was not going to be supporting the car tax plan. With that, it was discussed and we both agreed that it really wasn’t the best use of everyone’s time to go into the wee hours of the morning, knowing that the outcome was essentially predetermined,” Faraldi told 10 News.
Despite the adjournment, those who attended the meeting voiced their concerns, expressing outrage at the tax proposals. The plan would have cut car taxes while raising property rates to compensate for the lost revenue.
“They’re trying to destroy the City of Lynchburg, and there are lots of people who want to leave,” one woman told the remaining council members.
Faraldi also mentioned that he stayed outside the council chambers to listen to residents. He said he remains committed to some form of tax relief, acknowledging the concerns of homeowners who may face rising property tax bills even if the tax rate remains unchanged.
“Well, that was the point, is to say we want to reduce your overall tax burden, whether that’s coming from cars, your house, sales or meals tax,” he said.
During the afternoon work session, councilmembers discussed the potential impact of “equalizing” the tax rate, which would mean no net tax increase. However, achieving this would require additional cuts to the budget with only days left.
Even if the council votes on the budget this evening, they will need to meet one more time before the end of the month to formally adopt it.