Public to weigh in on vehicle decals at Bedford meeting

Vehicle decals had their day in Bedford, City Manager Charles Kolakowski said, but their place as a taxation and enforcement tool appears headed for a final stop in Central Virginia on Tuesday.

The city is the last locality in the area to still hold onto decals, and officials say getting rid of them would ease burdens on city employees and appease citizens.

“We have been encouraged by residents to do away with it,” said Valerie Wilson, the city’s commissioner of the

revenue.

Lynchburg and Appomattox, Amherst and Nelson counties have kicked them to the curb, along with Bedford County, which recently did so last month.

In eliminating the decal, the city proposes to raise personal property taxes from a rate of $1.80 to a maximum of $2.35 per $100 of assessed value. Wilson said $2.35 is only the rate the city advertised and she expects it to fall back down to $2.17.

The increase is necessary, she said, to offset the revenue lost from the decals’ sales. It should present no significant liability for taxpayers, she said, and even mean no taxes for those who own cars valued at less than $1,000 in trade value.

Like Bedford County, the city is calling the change a “revenue neutral” approach to switching tax collection methods within budgets without imposing major impacts on residents.

“We’re not looking to get any additional funds out of the change,” said Kolakowski.

One benefit of the decal the county wants to preserve is the windshield identification at local waste sites, which would help prevent illegal dumping. Bedford County Administrator Kathleen Guzi said last month that the option of an additional sticker at no extra charge to area residents is being considered and could soon come forth.

Bedford City Council will hold a public hearing Tuesday on the proposal at 7:30 p.m. at 215 East Main St. in downtown Bedford.

Council is also expected to vote on establishing a percentage tax relief rate, which Wilson said is likely to drop from a current percentage of 63 percent.