We’re going to cover something a bit different tonight….every year the Council meets with (or at least conveys) our legislative priorities to our state delegate (Mr. Miller) and our senator (Mr. Colgan). We will meet with those folks again soon but in the meantime, I’ve uploaded a copy of our list from last year. The list is kinda filled with inside baseball but you can boil most of them down to 3 categories:
1. Unfunded mandates: all localities hate this (and the state hates that Uncle Sam does it to them). The state will transfer and/or mandate spending priorities to the localities in order to save themselves money or to fulfill political agendas without spending any state money. Localities always hate this.
2. Cuts to monies due from the state to localities that are part of deals between localities and the state (like the car tax “cut”) should be static (at least in the view of the localities). This isn’t anyone’s “fault” in particular but is a sort of natural tension.
3. The BIG DEAL for Manassas: the Machinery & Tools tax (M&T). This tax has been under assault in the General Assembly (and especially the House of Delegates) for the past several sessions. If this tax is eliminated, Manassas will either have to cut $5 million from our budget or transfer the tax burden to our home owners. The primary payer for this tax is Micron and we have negotiated a reduced rate for them. If this tax is eliminated, we would have to raise the residential rate by 15 cents (give or take) or cut spending on the City side by about $2 million and on the school side by $3 million (rough numbers). Keep your eyes on this vote next time. Our representatives must fight for us on this one.
If you support the City in any of this, please contact our representatives and let them know how you feel…especially on the M&T tax. The House of Delegates has been edging ever closer to eliminating the M&T tax and it will simply transfer that tax revenue to our residential & commercial property owners. You can email Delegate Miller at DelJMiller@house.virginia.gov and Senator Colgan at district29@senate.virginia.gov. Let them know that you support this City!!!
When we establish a meeting date for the next set of priorities, I’ll post it!
ALSO: I didn’t post this to jab anyone, if you post, please be respectful of Del. Miller and Sen. Colgan.
September 15, 2010 at 9:19 pm
So in other words, doing a favor for Micron effectively shifts a $5 million burden on the City? Incredible. How did this come about? Who was watching our backs on this?
So the state acts like it’s doing something good but it really and quite directly screws the city and every single inhabitant in it. I wonder how much $ flowed from Micron to the legislators spporting this crap. Sounds like the same kind of things the feds have been doing to the states. They’ve been pushing the you-know-what downhill.
I assume we can count on Miller and Colgan to fix this for us. Does anyone know if they’ve been fighting this for us or did it also sneak up on them?
September 16, 2010 at 9:28 am
The proposed change to the M&T tax is simply big business greed and the shifting of the tax burdentowards real estate/residents. Its called “jobs creation” but its about money. As for Colgan and Miller, I think Colgan opposes this change but Miller voted for it several times. When you look at Millers contributors list, its easy to understand why he voted that way. In his zeal for office, he has become a slave to the business lobby. Add to that his grandstanding regarding the store on Battle Street. I’ve voted for him and given him money but no more. Its time for someone who represents the what is best for our community and not narrow self interest.
September 16, 2010 at 10:48 am
Let’s keep it civil. I didn’t post this so we could have a “I hate Jackson” party. He’s our representative and deserving of civil discourse even if you disagree with him.
September 16, 2010 at 11:43 am
Andy, I agree to the point of keeping it civil…although, difficult to maintain American Standard English when it comes to Del. Miller and the M&T. At times, my Army NCO language comes out when I see the danger to this issue. I’ll keep it off of here though 😉
He served on the Council before the step to fill the big shoes left behind by Del. Parrish. Many of his bills he submits down in the GA, I support. BUT – he went through the City Budget process – and even if not, he should make the effort to at least look at the impact sheets where our Finance folks play out the forecasts, etc. and also variable tax rates on homeowners. That is what being a Representative of the People is all about – your learn the issues, then work to support those issues.
Never did understand why he voted last year to support the elimanation which also remove the local government authority to manage it. And I admire the hard work by our City Staff and the Council in working with the various employers – especially Micron – to have a fair and doable rate.
And since the 50th District does include portions of PWC, and with the upcoming redistricting in June 2010 of the Magisterial Districts, the big boys of Lockheed and BAE will still most likely remain in his turf. The elimination of the M&T impacts the County…and if they have loss, there may be an impact to our cost-sharing under the Shared Services Agreement.
Oh yeah, let’s not forget the Airport. M&T affects them too, and that Airport is also tied with our City plan of a Technology Zone. I am not sure of the total dollar there without looking it up, but I can see that will be a major impact to the City attracting businesses….since a card played is that at present, the M&T being negotiated is a big draw. If M&T eliminated – another blow to the homeowner too.
I recommend a great big Chart-Pak drawing be made that he can post on his office in Richmond during GA Session to remind him of the importance for defending the M&T.
Got a discourse on Mandates, but will save that for another posting once I get it sorted out in my head.
September 16, 2010 at 11:45 am
whooooopppsssss!
Redistricting is June 2011.
September 16, 2010 at 12:36 pm
Andy- What was not “civil” about my post regarding Del. Miller? Facts are facts. He voted do do away with M&T. His donors list is available for all to see. As for Battle Street, do you think that 200 people would have shown up at a meeting without his email campaign?
September 16, 2010 at 1:13 pm
@frustrated – didn’t make any direct acusations but it looked like the discussion was headed that way. As I’ve said many times on this blog, be civil or be elsewhere…..
September 16, 2010 at 1:19 pm
Well, I generally Del. Miller and I assume I will continue to like him, but I have serious concerns about this tax shift to the city. If he has supported this tax change perhaps he did not fully appreciate that it would have this anti-Manassas affect. But if it would have such an affect, then I would strongly desire and expect him to now fight it for our sake.
September 20, 2010 at 1:36 pm
@Rich regarding DM…He would have to understand it before he could appreciate it!