Angelica Ramos
Contributing Writer
MONTGOMERY CO. – The Montgomery County Board of Supervisors discussed potentially setting a tax rate for recreational vehicles that is separate from the personal property or motor vehicle tax to help better serve residents at the July 22, 2024 meeting.
County Administrator Angela Hill explained the Code of Virginia defines recreation vehicles as “a vehicle that is self-propelled or towed by a consumer-owned tow vehicle that is designed to provide temporary living quarters for recreational, camping, or travel use.” They are allowed as a secondary home as long as it includes a bathroom, eating area and sleeping quarters. At the local level, Hill explained, they fall under personal property. This includes motor homes, travel trailers and camping trailers.
“The reason that I brought this,” Supervisor April DeMotts explained, “and the reason that this was brought to me was because a resident in my district has two motorhomes, one of which they use as a second home for IRS tax purposes, and he pays more for that motor vehicle in taxes than he does for his house in my district.”
The best time for the board to consider a change to this tax rate would be around budget time for next fiscal year. The July 22 discussion was to gauge if a change is an interest to the board. Some board members had questions and are interested in further discussion and analysis.
“Maybe if we did lower the taxes on these,” Supervisor Todd King suggested, “a lot more people could afford them.”