Martinsville budget draft proposes tax-rate increase as FY 2026-27 gap closes

Martinsville City Council received City Manager Robert Fincher's proposed FY 2026-27 budget during the April 28 council meeting, with the formal posting dated April 29, 2026. City staff said the plan was built after last year's revenues were overestimated and expenditures were underestimated, creating a significant structural gap.

The draft package includes cost controls such as a hiring freeze, reductions in selected outside-agency support, and lower operating allocations across travel, training, and office supplies. Even with those cuts, city leadership said a remaining shortfall required a proposed real-estate tax adjustment.

Fincher recommended moving the rate to $0.84 per $100 of assessed value, a $0.09 increase from the prior level, while noting the city would still remain below several peer-city rates in the region. Council work sessions were scheduled in early May to continue line-item review before final adoption actions.

For Martinsville households, this is the key local-government story to watch heading into final budget votes, because it combines service-level decisions with direct property-tax implications.

Source: City of Martinsville, "City Manager Presents Proposed FY 2026-27 Budget to Council" (posted April 29, 2026), martinsville-va.gov.