ROANOKE, Va. – Roanoke City Council held a public meeting to hear many concerns and frustrations you all shared: the increase in personal property taxes.
“When decisions are made like this, I’m like what did they do fall and bump their head,” Vivian Holland, a Roanoke City resident said.
Some residents said they were blindsided by the bill.
“I would encourage the councilmembers the mayor, vice mayor to follow suit and represent the citizens they are sworn to do and take care of them, or else come election time start looking for a new job,” James Wood, another Roanoke City resident said.
Some residents voiced concerns about those who are on a fixed income and who may not be able to afford to pay their taxes.
“Did you not take into consideration we’re in a pandemic people have lost their jobs?” Holland asked council.
Some residents say their personal property tax bills increased by 20%.
Roanoke City’s commissioner of the revenue said the reason for the increase is because of the car supply shortage.
“What we witnessed this year was the broad base value of the vehicles, new, old, sedan, SUV, truck, the whole gambit has been affected by the changes in the demand, the increase in demand, without the resulting increase in price that would have kept prices constant,” Ryan LaFountain, Roanoke Commissioner of the Revenue said.
We asked Roanoke Mayor Sherman Lea his message to people who saw the increase in personal property tax bills.
“I want to remind them council did not impose the new tax that’s the value of the car, that’s a situation all localities had to endure about personal property tax, even me I have a new car and I was way out there,” Lea said.
Lea said the council is committed to helping its citizens with personal tax bills.
“We are going to do what we can to help those citizens. We noticed it’s a hardship on many. We are going to do all that we can, and I’m confident in that, that’s all I can get into right now” Lea said.