Martinsville Budget Passes With Tax Hikes

Martinsville’s City Council just approved a budget with a narrow 3-1 vote, bringing tax hikes and fee increases to keep city services running — but not everyone’s on board. A nine-cent real estate tax bump and a $5 trash fee rise were the price of avoiding a potential government shutdown, which council members warned would be far worse for residents. Councilmember Aaron Rawls opposed the plan, while Mayor L.C. Jones abstained — both citing concerns over the financial burden. Councilmember Julian Mei argued the move was necessary to prevent chaos, stressing that without this budget, essential departments would grind to a halt. While tough, the decision aims to keep Martinsville’s lights on — literally and figuratively. Support the show:Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/40ae770566c2c5ff