The financial impact of the recent boundary adjustment will include an estimated loss of $409,958 in revenues this year for Halifax County, according to County Administrator Dan Sleeper.
Sleeper outlined his projections during Monday night's meeting of the Finance Committee of the Halifax County Board of Supervisors.
Members of the committee who discussed the projected losses were chairman Garland Ricketts and supervisors Tom West and Robbie Smart. Supervisor and committee member Dickie Abbott was not present.
Despite the estimated loss of revenues, the county currently has a projected budget surplus of about $600 for the year, Sleeper said.
While the dust remains to be settled in various revenue categories, the county's general property tax projections shows an estimated $413,099 increase for the year, he pointed out.
Though this figure is offset by other revenue decreases, the budget is projected to be in the black, Sleeper told the committee.
In addition to the boundary adjustment issue, the projected loss is expected to occur because of market factors such as possibly lower sales tax revenues and building permit fees, Sleeper added.
In a breakdown of those revenue losses, Sleeper estimated a decrease of $175,855 in the business license tax category for the county's coffers.
Numerous businesses, including most of the heavily commercial areas of Centerville and Riverdale, became part of the Town of South Boston during the recent boundary adjustment.
That adjustment switched political jurisdiction - and business license fees - from the county to the town for many businesses. They include ones located in the Tri-Rivers Shopping Center which has the Wal-Mart as an anchor tenant; the Halifax Square Shopping Center which has the Food Lion; the Centerville Shopping Center which has the Winn-Dixie; and the Riverdale Plaza which also has a Food Lion for an anchor.
Many car and truck owners, who previously bought county decals, now are required to buy town decals, causing an estimated drop in motor vehicle revenue to the county of $36,000, Sleeper said.
The bank franchise tax will be another major source of revenue loss for the county, since the recent boundary adjustment has taken all banks away from the county's jurisdiction. The bank franchise loss to the county is estimated at $80,000.
The county will also lose $26,500 in revenues from a decrease in the the consumer utility tax, which is charged to all utility customers. Other losses include $12,500 in lodging revenue; $8,000 in the utility franchise fee; $6,000 in mobile home title fees; $3,500 in cable franchise fees; $2,500 in the E-911 surcharge; $2,000 in ABC losses; $1,000 in the wine tax; and $1,500 in the rolling stock (railroad payload) fee.
Sleeper estimates a $1,391,00 revenue gain for the town.
The good news is that vehicles in Halifax County will now be assessed at the lowest of three accepted assessment rates, potentially causing lower personal property tax bills for citizens.
However, the bad news is the Halifax County Board of Supervisors will likely raise car tax rates to compensate for any revenue loss caused by the reassessment.
Currently, cars and trucks are taxed at $1.26 per $100 of assessed value. County officials estimated that to compensate for the loss of revenue caused by the reassessment, the tax rate would have to be raised to $1.70 per $100 in value.
"It's not really a 'rob Peter to pay Paul' deal, because that would be a case of vanishing money or revenue," reflected County Administrator Dan Sleeper. "Instead, it would be more like a case, of bottom-line, keeping everything about the same."
Commissioner of the Revenue Danny Jackson announced Monday that cars and trucks would no longer be assessed at retail value, which is the highest rate of the three assessment methods allowed by the state code.
Instead, the county will now assess cars and trucks at the loan value rate, which is the lowest level of assessment, according to Jackson.
The other method used in other areas of the state is an assessment on trade value, which is the medium level of assessment.
Vehicular assessments in Halifax County have traditionally used the NADA (National Automobile Dealers Association) book as a pricing guide for assessing the value of a vehicle. The NADA book will still be used in the loan value method of assessment, Jackson said.
"Many comments and concerns have been expressed from the public over concerns of inflated value (of their vehicles)," explained Jackson.
Citizen complaints about age and mileage on their vehicles have frequently occurred over the years, prompting the switch to loan value assessments, he said.
"The value of all vehicles should be lowered due to this change, with the greatest adjustment reflected in the value of older cars," Jackson said. "Retail value assumes the vehicle is in immaculate condition and while the local assessment officials cannot inspect every vehicle for mileage or condition, the use of loan value may compensate for some of these conditions."
However, that's no reason to expect a decrease in the personal property bills for motorists, pointed out Sleeper.
"We're already seeing a drop of over $400,000 in revenue this year to the county, mainly because of the recent boundary adjustment," Sleeper said. "Changing the assessment does not necessarily mean that one's personal property bill will change, since the board of supervisors can annually set the rate."
The board may have to raise the personal property rate to the $1.70 level to keep revenue levels in line, he added.
Jackson reiterated the difference in who sets rates and who sets assessments. "The supervisors are responsible for studying and setting the tax rate according to the needs of the county, not the commissioner of the revenue," Jackson pointed out.
Another concern addressed by the commissoner's office is the ability a citizen has to itemize the tax costs of each vehicle he or she may owns. Previously, some citizens have expressed confusion as to a breakdown of their personal property tax bill.
"New computer software has been purchased to allow the itemizing of personal vehicles on the tax bill," Jackson explained. "Each individual taxpayer will now be able to see exactly what he or she is paying taxes on."
Jackson also stressed that citizens who purchase, sell, or trade vehicles need to immediately contact the Commissioner of the Revenue's office so that a correct listing may be maintained at all times.
Halifax County High School's academic competition team opened its season on a high note here Monday night with a 220-183 win over Amherst County.
The 220 points that the Comets tallied put them in second place in the overall district ACE (Academic Competition for Excellence) standings behind E.C. Glass who rolled up a 274-210 win over GW in Monday night's opening round.
Trailing the Comets, who stand 54 points behind the Hilltoppers, is GW who is just 10 points back, and Amherst County who is 37 points behind the Comets.
Halifax County High School's jayvee ACE team, which is gunning for the school's third straight jayvee district crown and the school's sixth district title in seven years, got a good start on its season with a 105-40 win over the Amherst County jayvees.
The Comet jayvees' big night put them on top in the overall district standings and gave them a 10 point cushion over GW which scored a 95-75 win over the E.C. Glass jayvee squad.
E.C. Glass stands third in the overall jayvee team standings and Amherst County rests in fourth place.
In the varsity competition, the Comets won just two of the five categories of the competition and ended up with a tie in another. But it was good enough to get the job done.
After sustaining a close 25-20 loss in the Math round that opened the night, the Comet Science team composed of Chad Jackson, Arlethia Royster, Katherine Tompkins, and William Rorrer racked up a huge 65-15 win that gave the Comets a cumulative 45 point lead over the Lancers after the first two rounds of the competition.
From that point, the Comets and Lancers tied in the History category, Amherst County scored a 10 point win in the Literature category, and the Comets concluded the night with a narrow two point 45-43 win the All Around category.
While the Comets latched onto second place in the overall district team standings, they fared well enough to grab first place in the overall district standings for the Science and All Around categories.
Halifax County stands third in the overall district History category standings and lies fourth in both the district's overall Math and Literature category standings.
The Comet jayvees won both rounds of their academic competition, scoring a 50-20 win in the Math/Science round and a 55-20 win in the History/Literature category.
With the big numbers, the Comets were able to take the overall district
lead, grab the lead in the district's History/Literature category standings,
and take second place in the overall district Math/Science category standings.
From that point, the Comets and Lancers tied in the History category, Amherst County scored a 10 point win in the Literature category, and the Comets concluded the night with a narrow two point 45-43 win the All Around category.
While the Comets latched onto second place in the overall district team standings, they fared well enough to grab first place in the overall district standings for the Science and All Around categories.
Halifax County stands third in the overall district History category standings and lies fourth in both the district's overall Math and Literature category standings.
The Comet jayvees won both rounds of their academic competition, scoring a 50-20 win in the Math/Science round and a 55-20 win in the History/Literature category.
With the big numbers, the Comets were able to take the overall district lead, grab the lead in the district's History/Literature category standings, and take second place in the overall district Math/Science category standings.
By STEVE KARNOWSKI
Associated Press Writer
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - The lead attorney defending tobacco companies in a $1.77 billion lawsuit said the state doesn't deserve damages because it spends no more on medical bills for smokers on Medicaid and welfare than for nonsmokers.
''Smokers in these programs do not cost more than nonsmokers,'' attorney Peter Bleakley said Monday as opening statements began. ''And if that is true, then the state and Blue Cross are not entitled to any damages.''
Bleakley said Minnesota used a flawed mathematical model to estimate its costs from smoking. He said the model used national figures instead of focusing on smokers who were on Medicaid or public assistance, who he said are different from the public at large. He did not say why.
The state of Minnesota and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota are suing tobacco companies to recover money they claim they've spent treating smoking-related illnesses. They are also seeking unspecified punitive damages.
Cigarette makers ''treated America's youth as a commodity'' and manipulated them with advertising to recruit new smokers to replace those who quit or died, said Michael Ciresi, the lead attorney for the state.
He told the jury that evidence culled from 33 million pages of formerly secret tobacco industry documents will prove that cigarette makers conspired to conceal what they knew about smoking's hazards as early as the 1950s.
''The evidence will show this is a renegade industry which has placed profit ahead of the health of its customers,'' Ciresi said.
Bleakley, one of the tobacco attorneys, told jurors that he knew from the selection process that most of them dislike smoking, that some believe cigarette advertising should be banned and that some even want to ban cigarette sales.
''But that is not an issue in this case,'' Bleakley said. ''The issue that you have to decide is whether wrongful conduct by the defendants caused the state to incur increased health care costs.''
He said the industry had not deceived the public about the dangers of tobacco, and he said polls show that virtually all Minnesotans have long believed that cigarettes are harmful to health.
Minnesota's is the first of 40 state lawsuits against the cigarette makers to make it as far as opening statements. Texas, Florida and Mississippi settled their cases earlier.
State Attorney General Hubert Humphrey III still hasn't ruled out a settlement. But he reiterated Monday that any deal must require the industry to disclose its remaining secrets, to stop marketing its products to youths and to pay a sum commensurate with the harm cigarettes have caused.
Defendants in the case include Philip Morris Inc.; R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.; Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp.; Liggett Group Inc., which is a defendant of Blue Cross only; and The Tobacco Institute Inc. Liggett reached settlements with state governments last year.
Halifax County High School will hold an Open House/Parent Visitation Night tonight at 6 p.m. that will include a financial aid workshop and a special parents meeting featuring discussions on Block Scheduling and the Southside Regional Governor's School.
School principal Larry Clark said that classroom visitation for parents will be held from 6 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. With first semester grades having been issued Monday, the classroom visitation, Clark said, will provide an opportunity for parents to meet their child's teachers and discuss their child's progress in school.
In addition, Clark noted that a financial aid workshop will be held at 7 p.m. tonight in the school library for parents of seniors. School guidance personnel will be there to explain college financial aid opportunities to parents and the procedures that must be followed in order to apply for and attempt to secure financial aid for college.
A general meeting for parents of Halifax County High School students and parents of eighth grade students at Halifax County Middle School will be held tonight at 7:35 p.m. in the school cafeteria.
Clark said that the meeting with school administrators will be a continuation of the discussion of the 4x4 Block Schedule format that the Halifax County School Board has approved for implementation at the school for the coming school year.
Also Southside Regional Governor's School Director Dr. Nancy Carwile will be on hand at the parents meeting to explain the regional Governor's School and its programs to parents.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Bob Burnette, retired leaf buyer from R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., recently won the highest honor given by the External Relations Department of the company for his continuing work as a spokesman for the entire tobacco industry.
Burnette received the Extra Mile Award for his efforts in the 15 primary domestic leaf-producing states making tobacco farmers more aware of the economic impact of political issues relating to tobacco.
Burnette worked for R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. for 34 years prior to opening his consulting agency.
Arabelle Waller George, 90, died Friday, January 16, 1998 in a Roanoke hospital.
Mrs. George was born in Halifax County the daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Robert F. Waller and was married to Willard George. She was a graduate of Longwood College and taught school in Virginia, Maryland and New Jersey..
Survivors include her brother, Swanson Waller; and two nieces.
Information on the funeral service was unavailable.
Rinthia Duncan Bradley of Jacksonville, FL died Monday, January 19, 1998 at St. Vincent's Medical Center in Jacksonville. She was born in Halifax County on October 12, 1906 and was 91 years old.
Mrs. Bradley was the daughter of Charlie Duncan and Emma Thompson Duncan and was married to James Bradley.
Survivors include one son, John Bradley of Jacksonville; three sisters, Alice Meeler of South Boston, Annie Thompson of Richmond and Virginia Freeman of Columbia, SC; and two granddaughters.
Private graveside services for Mrs. Bradley were held at Oak Ridge Cemetery in South Boston on Monday, January 26.
Deacon Carroll J. Owen, 49, of 1133 Birch-Elmo Road, South Boston, died Friday, January 23, 1998 in Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC.
Mr. Owen was born in Halifax County on August 11, 1948 the son of Jefferson and Vernell W. Owen and was married to Belva Terry Owen. He was a member of Mountain Grove Missionary Baptist Church, served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam Era. He was a member of New Vernon Lodge 285 and was retired from Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company.
Survivors include his wife; two sons, Avery D. Owen of Memphis, TN and Carroll D. Owen of the home; two grandchildren, Tiara and Ontaria; his parents of South Boston; one sister, Charlotte Eldridge and brother-in-law, Lawrence Eldridge of Sutherlin; two brothers, Jerry L. and Ronnie E. Owen, both of South Boston; father and mother-in-law, Harvey C. Terry Sr. and Vanvassel Terry of South Boston, and other relatives and friends.
A funeral service for Deacon Owen was held Tuesday, January 27 at noon at Mountain Grove Missionary Baptist Church with Rev. Arthur E. Crews officiating. Burial was in the church cemetery.
Charlie C. Cheek of 2085 L.P. Bailey Highway, Halifax died Sunday, January 25, 1998 at Halifax Regional Hospital. He was 76 years of age at the time of his death.
Mr. Cheek was born in Charlotte County on August 2, 1921 the son of Charlie Burnett Cheek and Irene Church Cheek and was married to Cecile M. Cheek. He was a veteran of World War II.
Graveside services for Mr. Cheek were held Tuesday, January 27 at 2:00 at Halifax Memorial Gardens with Military Rites. Rev. John Wilder conducted the service.
Survivors include his wife; one son and his wife, Christopher C. and
Margaret M. Cheek of Cincinnati, OH; four sisters, Ruth Earles and Grace
Lavinder, both of Danville, Inez Shelton of South Boston and Marie Snead
of Newport News; two brothers, Richard Cheek of Mt. Laurel and Walter F.
Cheek of South Boston; and one granddaughter, Morgan A. Cheek of Cincinnati.
He was preceded in death by one sister, Garnett Womack, and one brother,
William Cheek.
Janet Willard Pool of 12013 Bill Tuck Highway, Buffalo Junction, died Monday, January 26, 1998 at Halifax Regional Hospital. She was 82 years of age at the time of her death.
Mrs. Pool was born March 27, 1915 in Halifax County the daughter of Edmund Willard and Ruth Smith Willard and was married to William S. Pool. She was a member of Aarons Creek Baptist Church.
The family held a memorial service at Aarons Creek Baptist Church Tuesday, January 27 at 7 p.m. with Rev. Richard Cooke officiating.
Survivors of Mrs. Pool are one daughter, Stephanie P. Bryant of Buffalo Junction; two grandsons, Chris Cole and Wade Puryear; and two great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, and one daughter, Phyllis Pool Puryear.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider Patrick Henry Boys & Girls Plantations, Route 2, Box 125, Brookneal, VA 24528.
Douglas Eugene Burton of Wilborn Avenue, South Boston, died Saturday, January 24, 1998 at his home. He was 29 years of age at the time of his death.
Mr. Burton was born in Halifax County on February 11, 1968 the son of Robert B. Burton and Alice L. Boxley. He served in the U.S. Army for three years.
Survivors include his mother and her husband, Dwight of Alton; his father and his wife, Becky of Blanch, NC; his step-father, Thomas Martin of Crystal Hill; three brothers, Allen Burton of South Boston, Robert Burton of Bland and Thomas Martin of Crystal Hill; one step-sister, Terri Kay of Bellville, IL; two step-brothers, Thomas Wade and Carson Wade, both of Yanceyville, NC.
Graveside services for Mr. Burton will be held today, January 28 at 2 p.m. in Halifax Memorial Gardens with Rev. Roy Newton conducting the service.