We should have a temporary moratorium on new homes until the economy improves. We should embrace and support the existing business`s we have now and work toward filling the empty store fronts and replace companies that have abandoned our county. When we get a new business, another one closes. If we don`t encourage and pursue companies to come to Fluvanna, we will continue exporting high school graduates, regardless of the amount of money spent on education, to other areas in the Commonwealth with employment opportunities. What makes more sense, more houses that are negative in tax revenue, or businesses not requiring additional services, that add to the tax base with job opportunities?
The reduction of school funding might have been necessary for economic or other reasons. Minor Eager, with a financial background, suggested saving this reduction and putting it in the reserve account to pay down future debt or refinancing high interest bonds when possible saving thousands in interest without any additional debt to negate this.
Eric Gomez has development experience from many parts of the country and suggested the county consider getting everything in order to appeal to company`s and developers to look at Fluvanna for perhaps manufacturing, technology, or commercial development paid for by developers on infrastructure and not taxpayers.
These approaches seem reasonable and logical to me to retire debt and encourage companies to come to Fluvanna to grow and prosper with us.
Our board of supervisors and the economic development coordinator should consider these approaches in representing taxpayers and not special interest groups.
The TJPDC is not in a position of projecting growth in our county as well intended as they are on local jurisdictions, We should have the right to determine what we want or don`t want as a semi rural bedroom community. We will never be an Albemarle or anyone else, just Fluvanna.
