Council majority votes to lower Purcellville’s real property tax rate

By Valerie Cury

At the Purcellville Town Council Special Budget Session on March 26, Mayor Chris Bertaut, Vice Mayor Ben Nett, and Council Members Carol Luke and Susan Khalil voted to lower the recommended real property tax rate from $0.205 to $0.192. The town budget process has just started.

The real equalized tax rate of $0.192 reflects the equalized tax rate taking into consideration the 6% increase in the real estate assessments. Council Members Erin Rayner, Kevin Wright and Caleb Stought voted against, saying they would have to cut funds from the budget. Council will have to cut $279,000 from the town’s FY26 $35.9 million budget.

March 25 Town Council comments

In the council comments portion of the March 25 Town Council Work Session Vice Mayor Ben Nett summarized the political movement that is being mounted against the council majority.

Disputing Council Member Erin Rayner’s version of hundreds and even thousands of speakers coming and speaking at the council meetings, Nett said the same several “familiar set of speakers are showing up—which is their right.”

Nett said, “This is about political power. Money versus the will of the majority as it relates to their vision for Purcellville as expressed in their Comprehensive Plan.”

He pointed out that the council minority “has come to believe that they don’t need to win elections to win elections. If they can be mean enough, nasty enough, ruthless enough, disruptive enough, intimidating enough—if they can generate enough disparaging articles through their media allies, if they can sling enough mud on social media, then they can get council members to flip or quit, and move out of town even.”

Nett said that these tactics “have not worked and will not work” on his colleagues, Mayor Chris Bertaut, and Council Members Carol Luke and Susan Khalil. 

He said the council majority will fulfill their campaign promises to the citizens of Purcellville. “We will through the budget process, which hasn’t even started, create a leaner more efficient government.”

Nett concluded by saying “those who have conspired to defame my character and I believe want to overturn the most recent elections … will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”

“Citizens should offer constructive ideas on how together we must address the challenges before us. Those challenges are real,” Nett concluded.  

Council Member Susan Khalil addressed the Main Street USA-Virginia Main Street program. She said, “When one hears the words Main Street USA one can’t help but envision a Hallmark town. Who wouldn’t want to live in a Hallmark town with cafes, a movie theatre and mom and pop merchants.” 

Khalil said that “the name of the program leads us to believe that by adopting it we are on the way to turning Purcellville into Hallmark Purcellville.”

She said when you read all of the program, which has some positive aspects, “there’s nothing more Main Street can do for our town that our current merchants and businesses owners can not do. If a building owner or owners’ desire to enhance their property or come together to enhance adjoining properties, we support that 100%. As long as it complies with our current Zoning Ordinance and Comprehensive Plan as supported by the residents of our town.” 

Council Member Erin Rayner has said she wants affordable housing and condos in the area of 21^st Street on the properties managed by her largest donor through his affiliates. Rayner and former Mayor Stan Milan said they wanted to turn 21^st Street into a Gaslamp District, similar to San Diego’s Gaslamp District. For decades two apartments per building are allowed in the Historic Downtown area—where commercial and office are encouraged, to add to the percentage of commercial in the town. 

Khalil said that Bia Kitchen, Enhanced Beauty and Wellness Clinic, and Catoctin Creek Distillery are good examples of redeveloping properties.

“If we have unattractive buildings in our town, it’s because the owners of those buildings so far have chosen to not enhance them.” Since the Main Street program focuses on pedestrian areas, it’s important to discuss a potential closure of vehicular access to 21^st Street, with the business owners in that area to see if they are opposed to that, cautioned Khalil.

Regarding the budget season, Council Member Caleb Stought said, “When we manage the town’s money, we are managing, you, the tax payer’s money and it’s important that we get it right.” He said there are three topics that are critical. The first is that the town employees need a Cost of Living Adjustment. The budget proposal currently is for a 3% merit increase.

Stought said the town has to provide for their Capital Improvement Projects and said they have been delayed for years. He said the town has to stop relying on their reserves to balance the budget. He doesn’t want to pull from the General Fund. 

“We are turning to our General Fund to start depleting it instead,” said Stought. “We have been told we are just pulling money from the General Fund Reserves to make up for not raising utility rates. Given our fiscal policy for General Fund Reserves, we can afford to make withdrawals like this for a year or two max, and of course we’ll then have to hike utility rates by 30, 40, or 50%, for the three years we spent not raising them.”

Mayor Chris Bertaut said in the town budget presentation “we have zero percent water and sewer increases and it’s a balanced budget throughout.

“I’d also like to point out with respect to the issue of drawing down on reserves—our General Fund Reserve policy limit is four times the level that Fitch demanded the town have when they gave us a AAA+ rating. 

“In other words, we keep 30% over and above our annual operating costs as a reserve policy over and above. We have many millions. So, let’s not believe the sky is falling,” said Bertaut.

“These next eight weeks will be a heavy lift for this council as we go through the budget with an eye toward preserving our vital infrastructure and services—while delivering top quality services to our residents and businesses,” said Bertaut.