The sales tax revenue of Louisa County as we have been told are millions going to their county from the development adjacent to I-64. Nothing could be further from the truth. The Virginia Department of Taxation has a report for Louisa County`s one percent sales tax revenue from 2006 to 2011. From 2008 when Lowe’s opened and 2009 when Walmart opened, the total county increase in sales tax for that three and a half year period was $928,593 increase over past revenues. So much for the millions to Louisa County for its share from the state. The developments in Louisa were individual companies not requiring taxpayer dollars to come. Does it seem logical for Fluvanna taxpayers to fund anything at Zion Crossroads with the mentality of ‘build it and they will come’? This is no way to do business in the 21st century. This concept worked in the 20th century but millions spent on infrastructure, water and sewer at Zion Crossroads now is a losing proposition.
The demographics of that area will not support any additional growth. We need population, income, reasonable tax rate and transportation needs. The three corners in Louisa have ample water from the Louisa Water Authority now. Any additional tax revenue in Fluvanna would not be a positive factor. The cost of $10.5 million for five years to fund a waterline with so little additional tax revenue would be irresponsible to taxpayers and add extra burdens on top of our debt service already in place from past decisions from our Board of Supervisors. What kind of return on investment would this folly be over 10 years?
