Another week of budget meetings coming up. Work session Wednesday night. We’re currently at a 2 cent increase on the tax rate and the possibility of a 3 cent public safety assesment. I know that I can’t get additional police and zoning guys if I go with a flat tax rate so I’m leaning towards the two cents but I haven’t worked my way through the 3 cent public safety deal. What does everyone think?
March 20, 2007 at 10:50 am
Interesting article in today’s WaPo metro section about Manassas
and immigrants (legal and illegal). Not a typical WaPo hatchet job
(quotes from Greg L. and Maureen Wood) – it underlines the
community isn’t “anti-Hispanic”, but rightfully concerned about
the obvious negative impacts of illegal immigration.
Changing demographics have a major impact on the budget.
March 21, 2007 at 3:19 pm
Dear Andy,
My family is backing anything you can do to improve public safety. If it means we have to take a $0.05 tax hit, that increase will we more than off-set by the lowering of our assested home values due to the declining real estate market. Even if most of the street robberies are aimed at the illegal aliens, no response to the increase makes the thugs more emboldened. The robberies must be stopped! If we need a new police unit, let’s get it on as soon as possible!
March 22, 2007 at 1:07 pm
Andy,
I talked to a police officer the other day. He said with officers on leave, deploying to Iraq and a couple of other reasons, the department is short by about 6-8 officers right now. Could you tell me if this is on top of the officers Chief Skinner is asking for, or if this why he is asking for the six positions?
March 22, 2007 at 1:08 pm
It’s a shame I can’t spell my own name!
March 22, 2007 at 2:11 pm
It’s 4 on top of whatever we’re short now. The idea is to raise the average number of officers available. If we’re staffed at full strength, great, but we usually aren’t.
March 22, 2007 at 8:21 pm
Thanks
April 5, 2007 at 2:07 pm
thats a lot!!!!!