By Randy Arrington
LURAY, May 8 — The Luray Council held a public hearing for its $13.6 million spending plan for FY23-24 during its regular meeting on Monday night. The hearing drew no speakers.
The upcoming budget, which officially begins July 1, reflects a $2.3 million (20 percent) increase over the current budget of $11.3 million. Much of the additional revenue projected in the FY24 budget comes from federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, as well as anticipated increases in revenue from various taxes and fees.
Transient Occupancy Tax in Luray is projected to grow from $273,600 in the current fiscal year, to $420,00 in the next budget cycle — a nearly 54 percent increase. Nearly $2 million in additional ARPA funds and other grants are expected and more than $600,000 in increased service fees, licenses and other taxes. State funding sources are expected to decrease by almost $150,000.
All expense categories, except Debt Service, show increases over the current fiscal year, with the largest of about $653,000 being in planned capital improvements expenditures.
The budget earmarks about $2.5 million for both the Water Fund and the Sewer Fund. Rates for each utility will increase slightly along all usage levels. The minimum base rate for water will rise from $28.97 to $29.26, while the minimum base rate for sewer will climb from $34.51 to $34.86.
The FY23-24 budget revenues were based on the following tax rates adopted last month (all rates based on tax levied per $100 of assessed value):
- Real estate/Mobile Home — $0.28
- Personal Property — $0.62
- Sales — 5% (includes 4% to state, 1% to Town)
- Meals and Beverage — 4%
- Transient Occupancy — 6%
- Cigarettes — $0.20 (per pack)
The Council is expected to officially adopt its FY24 spending plan at its next meeting. As a matter of policy, no action was taken immediately following the public hearing.
In other business at its May 8 meeting, the Luray Council also took the following actions:
• Unanimously approved three separate requests for a special use permit to operate a lodging house on Allison Drive within the Planned Neighborhood Development (PND) zoning district of Luray Landing. Sharon Rodriguez submitted a permit application for 210 Allison Drive; Edward Dumitrache submitted one for 170 Allison Drive; and Munish Khanna & 2K Group LL for 158 Allison Drive. A public hearing was held on Monday for each application, but none of the three requests drew a single speaker. On April 12, the Luray Planning Commission held public hearings for each application and then unanimously recommended approval of all three. In addition to the requirements of Town Code Section 518 – Lodging House Regulations, staff recommended that the permits also limit guest stays to 14 days and not transfer upon sale of the property or membership interest composition of the holding company.
• Unanimously approved a Proclamation of Appreciation for the Public Works Department recognizing their timely and professional response to sewer backups experienced at the Watch & Warrant restaurant located at 2 East Main soon after it opened. The backup resulted in the loss of potential business to the new restaurant, and the Public Works Department developed a multi-stage response to reduce the impact — installing a sanitary sewer lateral clean out in the sidewalk adjacent to the building; providing weekly flushing of the lateral; conducting a video inspection of the lateral; consulting with professional resources; and retained a firm to line the lateral to limit the likelihood of future issues. Specifically, the Town “recognized the efforts of Lynn Mathews (Superintendent), Pat Goode (Assistant Superintendent), Mike Griffith (Crew Leader), Chad Marston (Tradesman), and Charles Sours (Tradesman) for their timely and professional actions.”
• Unanimously adopted the 2023 Personal Property Tax Relief Eligibility for personal use vehicles as follows: Personal Use Vehicles valued at $1,000 or less – 100% tax relief eligible; Personal Use Vehicles valued at $1,000 to $20,000 – 42.5 % tax relief eligible; Personal Use Vehicles valued at $20,001 or more – 42.5% tax relief eligible for only first $20,000 of value.
For more information about happenings around Luray,
visit their website at https://www.townofluray.com/
or visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/townofluray
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