Rep. Lingamfelter (R-Woodbridge) proposes barring localities from raising real estate taxes more than 3%. I don’t know what’s worse: unfunded mandates or capping local revenues. We’ll decide our tax rate for ourselves, thank you very much.
That’s why he’s #2 on my Virginia State Wish-I-Could Hit List. Bob Marshall remains #1. My theory is that there is too much mercury in the water up in Prince William.
Posted by TLPatten on 18 December 2006 @ 2pm
On this we agree. Sometimes we get so caught up in our idealogy that we become … Lingamfelters. I think you folks over in Charlottesville should have the right to tax the living hell out of yourselves. You’ve got more employers than you know what to do with anyway.
Posted by Jerry Fuhrman on 18 December 2006 @ 3pm
Seriously. Every time there’s some proposal to bring some new employer to town I point out to anybody who will listen that there are parts of the state that could use those employers much, much more than us.
If Charlottesville wants a 4% tax increase, that’s reasonable and that’s our business. If Council errs in doing that, we should vote them out of office. Likewise, if we want to cap our tax increases (such as by reassessing property values only at time of transfer, as I strongly support), that’s also our business, and we shouldn’t have to beg Richmond for permission to do it.
Posted by Waldo Jaquith on 18 December 2006 @ 3pm
Cumberland County approved on December 1st a comprehensive agreement having to do with the construction of new schools. ($33M) During the meeting, several supervisors said they didn’t think $.05 increase (8-9%) would be too bad. This after basing their entire decision on phantom income (for debt service) in the future from a dump that isn’t even approved yet.
Then last week, they explored how to sell bonds to get the money to build the schools. The Chair had said in the past that we wouldn’t raise real estate taxes to pay for schools.
They are in constant contact with John Watkins (R-Midlothian), so I don’t know if they know about this bill or the one about requiring vocational education.
Can’t wait to see what the Supervisors say in an election year.
Posted by Mark Brooks on 18 December 2006 @ 9pm
Oh, and Waldo: Send those employers over here, we really need some.
Posted by Mark Brooks on 18 December 2006 @ 9pm
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