As far as staff, this is not the time to be laying people off or investments that we have been making, in spite of the fact
firing people. So I would really not go for that. And I’d like to that we have held the line on the tax rate, we have actually
Do we have appro-
see the annual budget stay like it is. I’d like to see it lower, increased tax relief for low and moderate income homeown-
but that may not be possible given the circumstances. I ers. There are many families in Charlottesville today who are
would like to see the annual budget stay where it is. paying less in property taxes, not just a lower rate but actu-
priate resources in
ally paying less in taxes, now than they were three years ago
Paul Long (I)
because of our tax relief program. We have only one or two
City government to
Challenger
localities in the state that have a program like that and I am
very proud of that fact.
I don’t believe that the City of Charlottesville has the appro-
So I think whenever we look at new initiatives for the City, for
achieve the
priate resources to achieve the objectives and the reason for
that is because simply the whole issue about the City of
staffing etc, the first question should always how do we do it
Charlottesville not being able to raise the City sales tax to
within our existing resources. There are some challenges like
objectives in the
meet local objectives. This is a problem not only the state of
transportation…where we don’t want to have to take money
Virginia imposes on this City, many other states are imposing
away from our schools or take money away from some of
this on their cities….
our other critical community services in order to do some-
City’s strategic plan?
thing that state has committed to do over the years.
If the local residents are willing to pay the tab, and pay in-
creased taxes, by the vote of their City Council, they should
Kristin Szakos (D)
In what way, if any,
be allowed to do that, and of course if the residents dis-
Challenger
agree they can always vote the Councilmen out in the next
election. But I think the City Council should have much more We have appropriate resources in city government to achieve
do we need to make
authority in raising taxes, different kinds of taxes and differ- the objectives of the strategic plan, but not enough. I think
ent mixes. Now I am not a lawyer and I don’t know whether you know it’s always that way. And I think that that's how you
can kind of tell you are in a good position is if you have the
changes?
the City Council has the authority to do it. I do not know
whether they would be interested in doing it or not, but I basics, you have just enough but you would really like more.
think the City Council should have the authority to impose to And I think that's where we are.
What impact will your
wage tax on the City residents.
I think that this is certainly about as hard a time as we are
going to have. I think for the next few years it’s going to be
Dave Norris (D) really tight and I think we are going to have to figure out
recommendations
Incumbent ways that don’t involve raising the budget significantly, un-
I do believe we have appropriate resources. You know we
less we try to find ways that lower it to compensate for
have on staffing and
have a pretty ambitious vision for the City. The City Council
those. I think there are a lot of things we can do that can be
has come up with a vision statement that I am very proud
either revenue neutral or of such impact that it’s worth an
of, but it’s not an overnight vision. This isn’t where we expect
expenditure. But I think we need to be very careful about
the annual budget?
to be in 2010, this is a 20-25 year vision for our community.
that….
We feel like we are making good progress in working towards
I don’t want to overhaul the budget my first year on City
that vision and implementing our strategic plan.
Council. I think I will spend my first year really learning a
Bob Fenwick (I) The City is a pretty fiscally conservative municipality, and this
lot….I don’t really have an answer yet. But I think that it’s
Challenger is one of the reasons why we have been able to maintain
something that I want to be very careful about, and yet I
the highest possible bond rating. The analysts who look at
don’t want to be so afraid of spending money that when we
Well I think we do have appropriate resources. The City has
municipal finances, who look at municipal budgeting, look at
have an opportunity to make a huge impact that we just
plenty of money….If the City Council wants to do something,
municipal financial management, have looked at
don’t spend the money. I think sometimes we can be penny
they will find the money to do it. Now on the flip side of that,
Charlottesville and given us their seal of approval because
wise and pound foolish and when we have a chance to do
on the east end of the Downtown Mall is a building sitting
we have taken a pretty responsible approach when it comes
something important we need to do it.
empty. That’s the transit building. That’s been sitting empty
to managing our taxpayer dollars….I think generally speaking
three of four years. So there are decisions City Council
there’s not a lot of fraud, waste, and abuse in our City budg-
Andrew Williams (I)
makes… it’s almost like they think our money is Monopoly
et, we are pretty tight with the money.
Challenger (Write-in)
money and that’s how they spend it.
There are very few cities, very few communities in Virginia, in As far as the City meeting their strategic plan, it’s difficult to
They want to raise taxes. I say this is unnecessary. I say
this economy and with revenues declining that have not cho- say, due to the fact that we had this economic crisis nation-
spend the tax money as if it’s coming out of your own pock-
sen to either increase their property tax rate or not chosen wide. I do believe that we can still meet those goals if we
et. And that might make them hesitate just a bit. So no ad-
to slash basic services. We are one of the few that has carefully monitor how we are spending funds and reallocating
ditional taxes. We have plenty of money. We just have to ap-
been able to avoid increasing taxes, increasing the property funds making sure that we are getting the highest investment,
ply it in the right places.
tax rate, and avoid slashing basic services. It meant some the highest return for our investment, it will be challenging.
One way you can do this is to make sure the department
difficult decisions. For instance this year we were not able to
And as far as staffing and the annual budget, I wouldn’t
heads are well aware that the City wants to save money, and
give our City employees a raise, that’s hard because we
want to take away anything from the staff and their families
for a department head that came in under budget, that
know times are tight, but I think a lot of people felt like well
and clearly it’s necessary because they wouldn’t be working
would be included in his personnel file and it would make a
at least they have a job and they have good benefits. So for
and ultimately contributing to Charlottesville in my mind, but
difference when somebody came up for a raise or promo-
the short term they can get by without a raise….
ultimately how we spend our funds is very important to look
tion, and it would just start a new way of thinking about I am very pleased with the fact that we have been able to at and to monitor performance, to see if we need to make
spending money in the City. increase our tax relief program even in spite of all the new changes.
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