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Welcome to the Powhatan Taxpayers Alliance


 

Press release from Jason Moore, Candidate for Supervisor District 2 – Powhatan

As most people know, there will be a special election held this November 2nd to fill the remainder of Mr. Charlie Green’s term of the Board of Supervisors. I proudly announce my candidacy for the District 2 Supervisor’s position, and my decision to seek the Republican Party’s nomination for that position.
I sincerely hope to continue the excellent tradition of community service, financial accountability, support for the public schools, encouragement of youth sports, backing of the fire, rescue and sheriff’s departments established during Mr. Green’s tenure on the Board of Supervisors.
Powhatan is the only place that I have called home. As a sixth generation resident of the county and third generation graduation of the Powhatan County Public Schools (PCPS), I know of no other home. As a youth in Powhatan, I was involved in various activities including: PYAA, JV and varsity football, ACE and Battle of the Brains. After graduating law school, I became involved with several other groups in Powhatan including: the Powhatan Republican Party (past-Chair), the Virginia Historical Society, Powhatan Bar Association (founding member, five-time President) and Mt. Herman Baptist Church.
After graduating PCPS, I attended the University of Virginia and obtained a B.S. in History. I then took a year off from my education to work at the General Assembly as a legislative assistant for Delegate Lee Ware. After a tremendous year working for Lee, I continued my education at the T.C. Williams School of Law at the University of Richmond where I received my J.D. degree.
In 1999, the people of District 2 elected me to the first of three terms on the Powhatan County School Board. I also have been fortunate to have my school board peers elect me to serve three terms as Vice-Chairman of the board. In addition, I received the Patrick Henry Award for Good Governance in 2001 for my service on the School Board from the Governor.
During my time on the board I have been dedicated to financial restraint and accountability. In fact, the average cost to educate a child in Powhatan is almost $1,200.00 less than the state average. This equates to millions in saving to the taxpayers of Powhatan. I will be has dedicated to controlling spending on the Board of Supervisors as I was while on the School Board.
If elected to the Board of Supervisors, I will: ensure financial accountability and responsibility, control taxes and spending, diversify the tax bases, so the tax burden does not fall so heavily on the single family home owners, encourage quality, balanced growth and development in accordance with the Comprehensive Plan, support the public schools, garner community input and participation in government and purse the televising of local BOS meetings.
As a School Board member, I have extensive knowledge of how our local government operates, and my time with Delegate Lee Ware gave me tremendous exposure to the workings of state government. I understand taxing, budgeting and zoning issues and how they interact on the federal, state and local levels.
My time on the School Board reinforced for me the importance of education in our society. A quality education is the building stone for all future achievement.
My service on the board also taught me the importance of community input in the governmental process. Government officials and agencies should operate in the open at all times. They should avoid any appearance of operating the “tall grass” to avoid public scrutiny of their actions.
As a single family home owner, I know how the increased tax rate affected people whose homes have decreased in value over the last year. Additionally, as a small business man, I understand how important it is for the county to develop a diverse and vibrant economy to alleviate the tax burden on single family home owners.
We are facing difficult times with high unemployment, raising debts (both personal and governmental), out of control government spending and declining tax revenues. Many people believe higher taxes and government spending or intervention will solve these problems. I disagree with those people.
We need leadership which will follow the advice of Thomas Jefferson: “The government which governs the least governs best.” Leadership willing to control government spending, reduce the tax burdens on the people and move government out of the way of productive entrepreneur minded people who just want to be left alone. I will bring that type of leadership to the Board of Supervisors.
I want to work for the people of District 2 in a new capacity as your Supervisor. I sincerely desire to meet everyone in District 2 and discuss the issues facing our community. I know our beliefs and values are similar and that together we can build a bright future for our county.
 
Thank You
Jason Moore
Candidate for Supervisor District 2 – Powhatan









Powhatan Taxpayers Alliance response to the  2011 Powhatan County Budget


It is unfortunate that the Powhatan County Board of Supervisors chose to raise the tax rate 6 cents rather than to live within its means. The Board of Supervisors chose to increase the tax burden on an already financially stretched citizenry. Senator John Watkins stated that FY2011 will be hard, but FY 2012 will be worse and that was acknowledged by Mr. Tucker in his prepared statement. We have simply kicked the can farther down the road by using cash reserves and tax increases and not creating the budget using existing  revenues at the current tax rate of .71 cents.  The time for deep cuts and increased efficiencies is now. Citizens and businesses nationwide have experienced deep revenue shortfalls. They have cut spending, reduced staff, reduced employee compensation to bridge these difficult gaps in revenue and must live within their means; we expect nothing less from our government. These are difficult decisions to make and we are empathetic to our county employees, but fiscal responsibility and accountability to the taxpayer must be the first priority.
 





CORRECTION: Budget article contained misinformation


Published: April 14, 2010

By Michael Copley
Staff Writer

There were serious errors in a story- published by the Richmond Times-Dispatch- that was posted to this web site, about the budget Powhatan Supervisors adopted Monday.

Supervisors adopted a balanced budget- $68,285,721- and set the real estate tax rate at 77 cents, three cents below the revenue neutral level. That will mean a lower actual real estate tax bill next year for most county homeowners than the one they received this year, said District 5 Supervisor Carson Tucker.

Tucker showed examples of four properties in varying price brackets and noted that in three out of the four cases, taxes owed under the new rate would go down.

The schools received $19,074,657 in county funding, plus an additional $872,000 in one-time revenues.

To be clear, the county adopted a balanced budget and the schools received enough additional money from the county to balance the school board’s budget. The school board has not yet adopted a budget.

The Powhatan Today apologizes that it allowed an article with factual errors to be posted to its web site and staff sincerely regret misinformation that went out because of it.

Powhatan raises real estate tax; layoffs avoided

JUAN ANTONIO LIZAMA TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER
 

Powhatan supervisors last night voted unanimously to increase the real estate tax by 6 cents but avoid layoffs and pay cuts for county employees the next fiscal year.

The new real estate tax rate will be 77 cents per $100 of assessed value, effective July 1. However, residents' tax bills should remain about the same because of a 13.8 percent decline in real estate values from last year.

For example, Supervisor Carson Tucker said, a home valued at $139,200 last year is now valued at $123,700. Even with the higher tax rate, the owner will pay $35.83 less in taxes, he said.

The county still faces a $1.5 million shortfall in the budget, and it has already cut more than $500,000 in one-time expenses, which include six vacant positions, replacement of sheriff's vehicles and computer equipment. The remaining $1 million difference will have to come from other savings, officials said.

The $68.3 million budget the board of supervisors passed for fiscal 2011 is 7 percent less than the current $73.3 million plan.

The school system's shortfall was larger: a $3.1 million gap in its spending plan, which the supervisors approved as part of last night's package.

Powhatan schools are reducing some services, cutting six teaching positions through attrition and reducing salaries by 3 percent for the superintendent and assistant directors; 2 percent for teachers, supervisors and principals; and 1 percent for support staff.

Even with those cuts, the school budget was still short about $700,000, which supervisors covered with an additional $872,000 allocation for schools.

Tucker said the board hopes the extra funds will prevent the 1 percent pay cuts teachers and staff were facing.

"We implore the school board to use this $872,000 to eliminate the need for these school board proposed salary reductions," he said, adding that supervisors recognize the school board makes the final decision where the money goes.

Tucker said he would be taking a 25 percent supervisor's pay cut for the 2011 budget cycle. The other supervisors did not say they were taking reduced pay. The board opposed reducing county employee salaries because they are already earning less than competing localities.

He said that the approved budget relies on unknowns. It is hard to say if the economy will worsen or if it will improve or if the state will further reduce funding. If that's the case, they'll be back next year and make deep cuts again, he said.

"Personally, I believe we're going to see further cuts in state aid to counties, most specifically schools," Tucker said.

"If the economy deteriorates further and if the commonwealth cuts funding again next year, we are facing layoffs next year."

 

A letter to the editor last week from resident Todd M. Rojcewicz, a member of Powhatan Taxpayers Alliance, noted that under the proposed tax-rate increase, property owners would have to pay the same amount of money for “a devalued property.”
“That is the definition of a tax increase,” he wrote
 
In a show of hands at the March 23 town hall meeting, the majority of residents there indicated they favor the 80-cent rate; Bustos said he expected more of a split.
“I think we’re seeing the tax alliance is a very vocal and motivated group,” he said, but “I’m not sure” that group represents the general opinion in the county. 
 
 
 

County Leaders Abuse Travel and Waste Taxpayers Dollars   Letter to the Editor in Powhatan Today, March 10, 2010  by Nelson L. Batterson

 

The recent editorial in the Richmond Times Dispatch was correct - Delegate Lee Ware’s bill impairing Freedom of Information (FOI) requests should be “killed and buried in an unmarked grave.”  Was the bill really targeted to curb harassment from one individual or was the Board of Supervisors looking for a way to chill requests from county residents?  I believe the latter.

 

I recently did two requests, one seeking the questionable expenses of county officials, and a second seeking information about the county’s wasteful $25,000 option to purchase land for an industrial park on Genito Road.  In both cases based on what I received did not believe I was provided complete information.  Again, based on what I received, I believe some county employees and elected officials have personal motivations for chilling FOIA requests from residents like me.

 

For example, last summer Carolyn Bishop – county administrator, Bob Cosby - BOS Chairman, and Joe Walton - member of the BOS traveled to Opryland in Nashville, Tennessee at taxpayer’s expense.  Their spouses accompanied them. The stated purpose of the trip was to pick-up a plaque that could have been easily mailed.

 

Expenses show rooms were upgraded from traditional rooms to more expensive garden terrace rooms.  Additionally, travel was not done in the most economical manner.  Records show Mr. Cosby drove his personal vehicle and was reimbursed $641.30 for mileage while Mr. Walton flew roundtrip for $237.39. 

 

Information I received regarding the proposed Industrial Park was equally shocking and also incomplete.   Without any input from residents, the county elected to spend $25,000 for an option to purchase land on Genito Road - land currently zoned agricultural.  Additional monies were wasted on studies that should have been considered in advance of the option. I have been unable to obtain under FOIA copies of all studies and their associated costs.  What taxpayers know today is that the BOS wasted at least $25,000 on a non-refundable option.

 

Goochland County currently posts all county expenditures on their website.  Powhatan County should do the same and go a step further by posting all FOIA requests and county responses as well.

 

As a former sheriff of Powhatan County, I have always believed an informed citizenry makes for good government.  I don’t believe it is any coincidence that the BOS allegedly requested Delegate Ware to introduce his bill after my second FOIA request.

 

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