A huge thank you goes out to Corey Stewart, John Jenkins, Frank Principi and Marty Nohe for attempting to keep the advertised tax rate at the current rate of $1.181. These supervisors understand that we must leave ourselves some wiggle room when numbers come in for real situations rather than predictions. Predictions can change, based on many factors, at this stage of the budget game. Supervisors Stewart, Jenkins, Principi and Nohe all have a place in the Moonhowlings Hall of Fame for their efforts to do the right thing at budget time.
Unfortunately, we had to reserve a row of naughty chairs for Supervisors Caddigan, May, Covington and Candland. Were they all trying to out-tea party each other? Those 4 naughty chairs sit in the Hall of Shame for right now. It’s not too late to redeem yourselves.
Mr. Candland’s response was not unexpected. He and his minions had been preaching austerity and fiscal doom and gloom all along. However, Mrs. Caddigan has always been a champion of the teachers–until she isn’t one. Mrs. C–what kind of deal did you cook up over there at Ruby Tuesdays? Please tell me I heard wrong! You have lost your “supports teachers and children” street cred. Creating an unholy alliance won’t really protect you. Mike May, I am surprised at you also. No more ‘good guy street cred.’
Both the police and education stand to lose state money. No deals have been etched in stone at this point. Until the state budget is approved, money coming from the state to PWC is tenuous, at best. We shouldn’t be counting our chickens before they hatch. Mrs. Caddigan, you always trumpet the schools and then manage to not vote for the one thing they need–MONEY! Teachers aren’t free.
Wally Covington, no one likes paying taxes. I sure don’t. However, I am willing to do so for teachers to get a raise, lower class size and for our police department to hire the necessary officers for a jurisdiction the size of Prince William County. You said you were worried about the poor people, then named my neighborhood as one of three places where the poor lived. I don’t see my neighbor’s bank accounts but I always thought Sudley was about as middle class as you could get. I don’t know of any poor neighbors. I am just so surprised to find out I am poor AND advocating for a higher tax to support others.
Once again, 4 people allowed us to be monetarily painted into a corner. I sure hope the advertised tax rate will be enough.
Finally, the pool at the school is a done deal. The people wanted the pool. Welcome to the 21st century. It’s over. Done deal. Mrs. Caddigan and Mr. Candland, stop beating a dead horse.
Wally Covington confuses me. He was overheard 2 weeks ago before the BOCS meeting telling someone he’ll never stand for election again (because, I’m guessing, he’s so sure he’ll be named to the bench during this GA session). So why WOULDN’T he vote with Stewart, Jenkins, Principi, and Nohe? He can’t be afraid of a Teapublican backlash.
It makes no sense why he voted the way he did. Nothing would have been etched in stone. Was there an unholy alliance of some sort?
Maureen Caddigan apparently cut a deal with the devil, thinking he would protect her. Let Old Friar know how that works out for you.
It looks like many folks’ ox got gored. Those in favor of more parks, etc apparently aren’t going to get them. Those who want libraries have been threatened by “Boss” Stewart. Those who want more for schools may not see any additional funds. Police and fire departments may not get as much but gun shops and those selling fire extinguishers may make out with increased sales. (A joke–please don’t hammer me for it.) But it ain’t over ’til the fat lady sings–there will be more discussion and more pressure but the advertised rate will be what it is and folks will have to find ways to change priorities.
As to classroom size. In one classroom size reduction (CSR) study done in 2004, it seemed that the schools received federal CSR funds put the most emphasis on reduction of classes at the K-3 level. I suppose this is so since perhaps most educational “imprinting” is done at this level. I am not a teacher and my only educational experience is teaching adults at what would probably be considered the graduate level–classes of senior military officers and federal civilians.
It may that teachers will vote with their feet. It will be interesting to see what effort is made to create such a “vote”.
I doubt that “Boss Stewart” threatened anyone. That sounds like an underwear blog fairy tale.
The superintendent’s targeted areas were 6th grade and 9th grade to decrease class size. I guess he can hang that up.
Well, its set now and I hope the 4 that low-balled it are going to be on hand to explain why we are going to come up short, once again. Most of us don’t want to live in a redneck county that has bare bones services.
George, you and I are neither one spring chickens, and yet we aren’t cheap. You and I have both raised our children here and put them through Prince William County Schools. We both support schools with decent equipment, both educational and sports. Our kids had pretty darn good teachers also.
We also want decent fire and rescue and a well-staffed police department. I am tired of listening to dumb asses say we can reduce the budget and increase services. No we can’t! That concept is Tea-Party Teahaddist hoaxing.
I am also tired of listening to people who live high on the hog (yes, we know who you are) bitching and complaining about paying taxes. They are selfish and greedy. They also don’t give a rat’s ass about the poor and their property taxes. I don’t know about you but I don’t think families who bring in 6 figures are poor. Families that are struggling to pay their real estate taxes just might have over-extended themselves.
I doubt that “Boss Stewart” threatened anyone. That sounds like an underwear blog fairy tale.
Check local internet newspaper. Almost first words out of Stewart’s mouth were:
“Stewart’s first recommendation for the chopping block: money for two new libraries for Gainesville and Montclair that were promised in a 2006 county bond referendum approved by 57 percent of voters.
“The lower priority things might have to be dropped,” Stewart said. “And those things are the libraries.”
According to inside nova.com.
I think now what has to happen is that there really does need to be a thorough review of both the county and the school budgets. Should probably be done by an outside group, responsible to the taxpayers, not the BOCS or the School Board. There is always carryover moneys in both budgets. The question is, “Why?” Is this a built in largesse to be used at the end of the year or what?
I agree with you that those folks who have large incomes got no room to bitch and they really don’t give a rat’s butt about the commoners.
Audits go on all the time. I guess if it comes down to cops or libraries, most of us would chose to have cops.
I just don’t see that as a threat. You said since 2006? That doesn’t sound like a new threat. It sounds like an on-going problem of many years. Now, if it just happened, maybe. I think maybe its a reminder that when you don’t watch out for everyone else, no one will watch out for you. “I got mines” just isn’t going to cut it. One person can’t do jack. Power of 5–now you are talking.
@George
Still better, call me. I will tell you a little story about people who have lied to me for political gain. It wasn’t Boss Stewart. home phone please.
Am out shopping. Later.
Until we diversify our local economy and stop relying almost entirely on individual property taxes to fund the government, we will continue to see our tax bills rise. This ain’t rocket science- new development doesn’t pay for itself, particularly townhouses and apartments, and existing homeowners pay the freight.
We need more office and commercial to diversify the tax base, and proffers and fees need to be adjusted so that new development isn’t such a drain. I don’t hear Candland or anyone else on the board pushing that rock uphill. Candland has folks on his budget committee that know all the details- he should listen to them! All this other posturing is pure theatre.
I can tell you from experience that Development Services, Planning, Environmental Services, and Libraries have all been cut to the bone and further. The environment suffers when erosion and sediment controls aren’t monitored, for example. And poor kids suffer when libraries are cut. Fix the problem on the front-end and the rest will fall into place.
Enough taxpayers need to stand up and overcome the developer contributions to the supervisors.
This is the mentality you all are dealing with. (from the Underwear Blog)
I know Jim Livingston personally and professionally. He most certainly is a gentleman and a very dedicated professional educator who has donated his life to educating youngsters. Jim has put in long hours both before and after his classroom duties and is the consummate professional.
Whoever wrote that garbage about Jim and the people who spoke before the BOCS represents everything that is wrong with PWC. Fortunately, people like that are very much in the minority. Most people respect our educators, coaches, and first responders and certainly don’t feel they are living off the government. the vast majority of these public servants give far more to their communities than they take.
Lastly, is it wrong for people to expect to earn a decent living?
The person who made that comment is beyond being a malcontent.
We can start with supervisors who don’t take a majority of their campaign contributions from developers.