CHESAPEAKE, Va. — An online petition calling for lower personal property taxes is gaining traction in Chesapeake.
More than 1,000 people have already signed the petition. Chesapeake attorney Robert L. Wegman started the petition this month after getting his latest bill, a cost he called outrageous.
“A $450 to $500 tax bill coming right on the edge of the federal income tax and the state income tax is a lot of money," Wegman said. “They literally have to think, ‘How am I going to pay this bill?’"
The petition calls for relief from the yearly vehicle tax and to put an end to the license fee. A license fee is a tax for vehicles registered or garaged in the city. In Chesapeake, the fee is currently at least $26.
“It’s not costing Chesapeake a penny to keep my car here," Wegman said.
In a statement to 13News Now, a city spokesperson said, in part, “Chesapeake has had the lowest tax and fee burden of any city in Hampton Roads for several years.”
The spokesperson continued to say reducing personal property taxes would shift the costs from vehicle owners to homeowners.
Still, residents 13News Now spoke to feel the burden is too high.
“They’ve definitely gone up quite a bit over the last few years," said one Chesapeake resident who wished to remain anonymous.
“I would like it to be lowered. I think it’s gotten way, way too high," said Chesapeake resident Scotty McNeil.
If Chesapeake City Council members approve next year's operating budget, the personal property tax rate will remain the same at $4.08 per $100 of accessed values. However, some say their wallets will still feel a pinch as vehicle assessments continue to rise.
"If the values of the vehicle are decreasing, it seems to me the taxes should be lower," one Chesapeake resident who wished to remain anonymous said.
Chesapeake City Council members are set to vote on next year’s budget Tuesday.
According to a city spokesperson, anyone looking for tax relief information should call the Customer Contact Center at 757-382-CITY (2489).