Local Government
Organization
Montgomery County is governed by a Board of Supervisors elected (one) from each of seven
districts. Each year in January, the board elects a chairman and vice chairman. Public meetings,
which may include advertised public hearings, are held on the second and fourth Mondays of each
month. The Board of Supervisors hires a County Administrator and an Assistant County Administrator
to carry out the day-to-day business of the county. Other administrative positions in county
government include directors of economic development, fiscal management, human services, libraries,
planning, recreation, social services, and voter registration.
Elected county officers, or Constitutional Officers, include the Clerk of the Circuit Court,
Commissioner of the Revenue, Commonwealth’s Attorney, Sheriff, and Treasurer. Elections for these
officers are every fourth year.
The incorporated towns of Christiansburg and Blacksburg are governed by elected town councils and
mayors. Both have a town manager who administers fiscal responsibilities. Council meetings are public
and are held on Tuesdays (Christiansburg, first and third; Blacksburg, second and fourth).
The county supports an excellent public school system for county and town residents. School board
members from each district are elected for four-year terms, and a superintendent and staff oversee
operations and curriculum of the twenty elementary, middle and high schools.
Finances
The county’s fiscal year is July 1 - June 30. In November each year the county budget review
process begins. The members of the Board of Supervisors have the arduous task of analyzing budget
requests and setting county tax rates. Through public hearings, the Board hears citizen input on
proposed budget expenditures and changes in tax rates. Usually in mid-April, a document outlining
the approved budget and tax rates for the following fiscal year is made available to the public.
The tables that follow summarize Montgomery County’s recent revenues, expenditures and debt structure.
Monies to support and maintain the public school system currently represent over fifty percent of
expenditures for county dollars.
Financial Data, FY 1995-98
Net Operating Revenues
(in millions of dollars) |
FY 1997 |
FY 1998 |
FY 1999 |
FY 2000-01 |
FY 2001-02 |
| Retail Sales Taxes |
$4.47 |
$4.78 |
$5.28 |
$5.76 |
$6.07 |
| General Property Taxes |
$26.29 |
$27.95 |
$31.86 |
$34.17 |
$38.20 |
| Intergovernmental Revenues |
$40.72 |
$41.66 |
$40.34 |
$43.08 |
$47.23 |
| User Fees and Charges |
$2.16 |
$1.19 |
$1.53 |
$1.71 |
$1.72 |
| Other (1) |
$9.37 |
$9.39 |
$9.97 |
$10.30 |
$6.85 |
| Total Revenues |
$83.01 |
$84.97 |
$88.98 |
$95.02 |
$100.07 |
Net Operating Expenditures
(in millions of dollars) |
FY 1997 |
FY 1998 |
FY 1999 |
FY 2000-01 |
FY 2001-02 |
| Fire and Police |
$4.19 |
$5.32 |
$5.11 |
$5.50 |
$5.12 |
| Public Works |
$2.30 |
$1.90 |
$2.03 |
$3.60 |
$3.06 |
| General Administration |
$2.68 |
$2.89 |
$3.71 |
$2.00 |
$3.10 |
| Recreation, Cultural |
$1.75 |
$1.80 |
$1.94 |
$2.00 |
$1.50 |
| Education |
$53.04 |
$54.82 |
$57.68 |
$63.80 |
$69.54 |
| Community Development |
$0.75 |
$0.74 |
$1.40 |
$1.20 |
$1.60 |
| Health and Social Services |
$4.49 |
$4.80 |
$5.39 |
$6.10 |
$5.10 |
| Judicial |
$1.06 |
$1.18 |
$1.26 |
$1.30 |
$1.15 |
| Total Expenditures |
$69.33 |
$73.35 |
$78.52 |
$85.50 |
$90.17 |
Debt Structure
(in millions of dollars) |
FY 1997 |
FY 1998 |
FY 1999 |
FY 2000-01 |
FY 2001-02 |
| Current Liabilities(2) |
$5.47 |
$4.81 |
$82.49 |
$90.97 |
- |
| Bonds Notes & Loans Payable(3) |
$22.00 |
$29.62 |
$26.57 |
$24.49 |
- |
| Debt Service |
$2.91 |
$3.31 |
$3.90 |
$3.49 |
$2.07 |
| Number County Employees (4) |
323 |
324 |
323 |
380 |
359 |
Notes:
(1)Other local taxes, fines and forfeitures, revenue from use of money and property, and
miscellaneous and recovered costs.
(2)Represents total, including School Board as Component Unit.
(3)Does not include enterprise fund debt, such as that of the Landfill Enterprise Fund or
the Public Service Authority and excludes pension obligation
(4)County employees only, excludes employees of the School Board.
Source: Montgomery County Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports 2000.
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