Finally common sense may prevail for Manassas City Republicans, I wish they could export some of that to Congress!
Since when was investing in your “home” a waste of money? We invest in new appliances when they break, new cars when they begin to cost more money then what they are worth, new roofs when they leak, etc etc!
Since when is allowing your community to fall apart a conservative value? Good for the Manassas City Republicans for advocating investment. Keeping your community first class requires money, requires forethought, and requires a plan of action.
The Manassas City Council passed 4-2 one of the city’s biggest real-estate tax increases in years on Monday, generating dollars to begin a series of capital construction projects city leaders say are needed.
The $100.3 million fiscal ‘14 operating budget, which the council approved, will pay for sidewalk widening in the town’s historic Old Town business district, a new elementary school and drainage improvements, among other projects.
TEA Party politics has no place in running government. Is there some waste in government, well yes, no one denies that reality. But TEA party politics has a false foundation that a society can survive with little to no government intervention. Get rid of the EPA, get rid of the federal income tax, get rid of investment in science and medicine, stop funding the ARTS, allow bridges and roads to crumble, allow healthcare to be a privilege as opposed to a right, etc etc. What is left to ensure that a community can thrive?
Here are the questions I have. What makes a cohesive society? What are the values of a “community” and how are those values outwardly expressed?
How do we ensure that individual progress can also support community success ,which, in the end, benefits everyone!
I think the City Council took a step in the right direction. It had the choice of not only maintaining infrastructure but also remaining an attractive community – a community of which its residents can be proud. It needs to invest in its schools and get those test scores in line with the rest of Northern Virginia as well.
One can look at Fairfax City, Falls Church,or Vienna and see what an investment in appearance says about a community. Businesses stay in a city or town that remains attractive, has good schools, and offers amenities (bike paths, skating rinks, art galleries, good restaurants, farmers markets). If businesses stay, residential properties don’t have to foot the entire bill for services.
Many of the complainers who oppose the tax hike complain about everything anyway – whether bike path locations, immigration, schools – yet they offer no solutions to any of the problems they b!tch about other than cut taxes. Other people appreciate that there’s a nearby airport, bike paths, a skating rink, VRE, sidewalk cafes, a farmers market, etc. Two hundred and fifty names on a petition protesting a tax increase is paltry in a city of 40,000. I just took a weekend jaunt through a few of Virginia’s more rural and dying towns. I doubt many Manassas residents would want to flee to those locales with their empty storefronts, overgrown lawns, and access to few jobs.
Excellent points Censored, thank you!
Tough deal that nobody seemed to like – must be the right thing. Can’t keep taxes flat forever. Really poor management on the part of the Council to not raise taxes over the years in small increments to make this happen….that’s what PWC does. My taxes go up but I don’t really notice the pinch….
People stood up and thanked the city council last night for their leadership. It’s not easy paying more, but others before me did so, so that my family and I could enjoy a safe, clean and modern place to live for the past 32 years. What I see through my church is 20-somethings coming back and settling in the city, and elderly folks downsizing by selling their big homes and staying in the city also in the newer, smaller condos. I also see people driving all the way from Centreville and Fredericksburg to come to our church in the city. That says more than anything, to me.
I had a well-crafted post that disappeared into the ether. Suffice it to say, I agree with many of the sentiments here: Austerity only keeps the economic hole from getting deeper. Prosperity comes from growth, and growth requires investment. Smart investment on those areas that are either core services (public safety, sanitation, education), public infrastructure, (roads, school buildings, police and fire stations, storm-water system), and investement in those areas that will drive economic development, such as toursim, Parking, etc. We are in competition with other jurisdictions. Let’s be competative.
While I see both sides of the argument (spacing vs. front-loading) I think interest rates will rise in the near future, and certainly within the next decade. Securing financing now, while interest rates are low, implementing projects now, while materials and labor costs are low, makes sense, and keeping the level of debt low by buying down projects is wise. It’s like the difference between a 15 year and a 30 year mortgage. Which one ends up costing more in the long-run, inspite of the lower monthly payment?
Welcome to the 21st century Manassas!
@Beedy
There are those in PWC who act like those small increments were taking bread from their children also. There are others who keep the Amen Chorus going for ‘The Sheriff.’
I think the City is on the right track. Maybe they should have risen slightly all along but…they didn’t. Now all but 2 of them see that the time to move is now. My hat is off to those 4 who stepped up to the plate to make a painful, but needed decision.
Manassas City has its own texture and draw. While most downtowns around the commonwealth have gotten a little seedy, Manassas has revitalized. It is cute, quaint, and THE place to come to for lunch or dinner, despite that meals tax.
The farmers market, the museum, and Harris Pavillion are all magnets to people who just want a taste of small city America. The festivals and celebrations keep people coming back, whether for a railroad excursion, a parade, to taste a wee bit o the grape (yea mixing my celebrations), or to hear a music festival, The community comes out because Manassas is the place to be.
Keep up the good work, guys. Smart leadership knows there is no free lunch and the decisions made are wise ones.
I forgot, thanks Elena, for a great post. Your insight has taught me a lot, especially about investing in one’s own community.
The one casualty out of the budget is the Housing Planner/Fair Housing Advocate position was defunded for FY2014. This position was created because of the 2006 Lawsuit which had the settlement agreeement, and because it was viewed the City is no longer under the scope of the agreement, the positon is no longer needed. True to no longer being under the scope, but the position evolved to more than just Fair Housing beginning in FY2011 to assisting homeowners with foreclosure actions.
In FY2011, there were 38 homeowners assisted and they were able to stay in their homes. In FY2012, that grew to 57 homeowners PLUS 10 new homeowners meaning that over two Fiscal Years, one person was able to help these families stay in their homes, which also ensured over $300K in RE Taxes remained in the coffers.
This positon salary was $104K a year (toss in benefits and it was just under $150K). Looking at work production cost versus profit margin, in FY2012 alone the RE Tax retained was over $200K. So cost versus profit gave the City $50K. And all by one person.
The Housing Adovacte also coordinated to hold events where the Banks & Mortgage Companies came, set up shop, and assisted individuals on the spot. Even if your mortgage was not distressed, you could come and talk with the banks. Each of those entities also ponied up money to be there, and the funds were set up in the City under an account to support Housing efforts.
All of this now will be in hiatus. As for Fair Housing Advocates, there are only two I know of in the City who are certified by Virginia for Fair Housing Laws. There is only one other certified Virginia Housing Counselor in this City. And those people reside in this house.
I supported and still support investing in this City – spend money to make money is the smarty way of saying the CIP investments will pay off in the end. Just a shame we break a developing effort especially since the Council in their Priorities Plan made Housing Revitilization one of their five.