Property tax rate needs to be increased
It continues to astound me that Chesterfield County refers to itself as a First Choice Employer when it continuously balances its budget on the backs and wallets of its employees.Citizens of Chesterfield County: With all of the suggestions about how to make schools safer, teachers more accountable, and maintain retention of [the county’s] valued employees, we must raise the real estate tax to fund these mandates.
In all of the local papers, including the Observer, we read reports about how the county has a shrinking unemployment rate, about “Homebuilding Up Sharply in 2012” (Observer 1/16/13), and about holiday sales reporting record growth. How do the respective Board of Supervisors and School Board have any basis to say that another year of belt tightening is needed?
One answer could be that we have elected officials who work directly with the homebuilders’ associations to lower or eliminate proffers, when that is the opposite of what they were elected to do.
This is a blatant conflict of interest. These elected officials should be advocating for proffers and any money available to ensure that when you call the fire department, a truck shows up, or a policeman is available to protect you, or the teachers you entrust the safety and education of your children to for eight hours a day have all the tools available to teach to more rigorous standards.
Another answer could be that our elected officials are too scared to anger a small but powerful lobby of Realtors and builders who support their campaigns.
It is time for the [Board of Supervisors] to do what is right for its employees and citizens, and that is to face the hard truth that we deserve better.
As a teacher who has not had a raise in over four years (and restoring the 2 percent salary reduction we took a couple of years ago does not count), I can only wonder how much longer I can continue to be paid less than my counterparts in neighboring counties?
A 5 cent increase in the real estate tax would significantly increase the levels of service provided by the employees of Chesterfield.
This equates to less than $10 per month extra on a $200,000 home. A small price to pay to ensure the people entrusted with your children have the ability to live in the same county they work in.
Peter Barringer
Midlothian
http://www.chesterfieldobserver.com/news/2013-02-06/Opinions/Letters.html
