The Albemarle Board of Supervisors has voted for a tax rate of 74.2 cents per $100 of assessed value, the same as it is now. At that rate, the average homeowner will pay about $90 less in real-estate taxes this year than last year.

Not everyone is happy about the tax reduction -- some fear it could lead to painful cuts to school programs.

The Board of Supervisors will have a public hearing on the proposed budget and tax rate at 6 p.m. March 31 in Lane Auditorium of the County Office Building. Supervisors are allowed to set a tax rate lower than the advertised rate but cannot raise it without readvertising the adjusted rate.