The Council decided on our legislative priorities that we will present to our representatives (Mr. Colgan and Mr. Miller) next week. At the top of the list (not surprisingly) are the preservation of the Machinery & Tools tax and the BPOL tax.
The Governor has made the elimination of these taxes a central piece of his administration (well, right next to his brilliant plan to sell the ABC stores) in order to make Virginia a more attractive place to do business. According to CNBC, Virginia is the #2 state in the union in which to do business. We’ve gone back and forth with Texas for the #1 spot in the survey every year since the survey started. The thing you should know about that CNBC poll is that it is weighted (as one would expect) towards business concerns. “Cost of doing business” carries a weight of 450 points. Education carries a weight 1/3 that of “Cost of doing business”. Pursuant to that, the survey also notes that Virginia’s ranking is emperiled as our spending on education is falling and class sizes are going up. I run a small business in Virginia and am all for maintaining a business friendly environment – I pay all of those taxes. However, I’m not interested in that objective if we have to go to extremes to get there. I believe that we require good schools, public safety and, at some point, need to bring back things like Parks and Rec. that we have crushed over the past 3 years. I don’t want to live in a gulag. Nor do most people. Indeed, the elimination of this funding will further erode the City’s ability to compete for the middle- and upper-income citizens that have formed the base of the City for so long.
If those two taxes are eliminated it will cut $7.5 million dollars from the schools and the City. Keep in mind that the City budget is already 15% smaller than it was a couple of years ago. We’re already down to the level where if we lose much more revenue, it’s going to mean the elimination of most of the things that makes Manassas what it is and possible cuts to public safety. Certainly we would have layoffs equal to what we have already experienced and property tax rates would soar. The last time this happened was when IBM left. The Council then decided to make up the defecit by raising taxes and cutting spending. We would do the same in the current situation. In fact, if we were to balance the budget solely with property tax increases we would need an increase of 20 cents.!! A truely historic shift in tax burden and a bad deal for our citizens.
Indeed, if the state wants to further enhance it’s standing as a place to do business, they should eliminate the Corporate Income Tax – it’ll only cost them about the same statewide as the local taxes they are now preparing to eliminate.
Now, on to the nitty gritty: Please contact Del. Miller and let him know that he needs to vote in support of our city and our schools. When you’re done there, please contact Sen. Colgan and ask for his support as well.
I’ll get a copy of the priorities up early next week.
November 7, 2010 at 12:37 am
Just out of curiosity since we’re on the subject of budgets, does the passage of the Commonwealth’s referendum to allow for the raising of the state’s rainy day fund from 10 to 15% from tax money affect the City’s budget outlook? I heard through the grapevine that that means less money for the City from the state as well…
November 7, 2010 at 8:16 am
@AB: it will mean less money for localities or roads or something as state law requires that a big piece of any “excess revenue” goes into the rainy day fund. I thought that was a lousy referendum. Hanging on to some extra bucks is a fine idea but I would think a billion is enough…..
November 7, 2010 at 12:40 pm
I completely agree with your legislative priorities piece. I contacted Del. Miller about the M&T tax about one month ago (through his web page) and was quite surprised that my communication was not even acknowledged.
My email was one of general support for him but I did ask him to oppose repeal of the tax insofar as repeal would damage Manassas. I am willing to accept, for the moment, that he may have missed the communication. I believe it is unlike him not to respond.
November 7, 2010 at 2:06 pm
I learned these tips on how to write to politicians from Leadership Prince William:
1. Hand-write or type your letter so it creates a hard copy.
2. Send it snail-mail to local & state (or federal) addresses.
3. Be polite and formal.
4. State your purpose and get to the point in an honest, straightforward way.
5. Don’t threaten. Don’t tell embellished sob stories. Be real.
6. Make it personal, with your words, not just a form letter with your signature.
7. Identify yourself as you want to be identified and how it relates to the issue — Chamber of Commerce member? Local business owner? City of Manassas resident?
That doesn’t mean that you can’t also e-mail, phone or talk to them face-to-face — some politicians may prefer that. But from my understanding, someone who takes the time to write and mail a letter will get more attention from staff as well as the office holder.
November 7, 2010 at 2:10 pm
This is what I have as contact information. If it needs updating, let me know.
Delegate Jackson H. Miller (Republican)
(R – 50th House District)
PO Box 10072
Manassas, VA 20108
Phone: 703-244-6172
Fax: 703-530-1832
Email: Jackson@delegatemiller.com
AND
General Assembly Building
PO Box 406, Room 418
Richmond, VA 23218-0406
Phone: 804-698-1050
Fax: 804-786-6310
Email: DelJMiller@house.virginia.gov
Legislative Assistant: Bryan Fumagalli
Secretary: Barbara Pearce
Senator Charles J. Colgan (Democrat)
(D – 29th District)
10677 Aviation Lane
Manassas, VA 20110-2701
Phone: 703-368-0300
Fax: 703-257-2856
AND
Senate of Virginia
General Assembly Building
P.O. Box 396
Richmond, VA 23218-0406
Phone: 804- 698-7529
Fax: 804-698-7651
Email: district29@sov.state.va.us
cjcolgan@aol.com
Legislative Assistant: Peggy Wells
Secretary: Nancy Snow
November 7, 2010 at 11:07 pm
When that M&T bill was before the House last year, the only delegate across the greater Prince William area that did not vote “yea” to kill it was Delegate Torian. All the others did.
I had the opportunity at a Caregiver Conference to speak to Delegate Anderson about it. He did not realize the impact to the City – or that the City even collected it since the County does not. He is now educated and told me if it comes up again, he will not vote to cut it. Score one for the good guys!
November 8, 2010 at 10:20 am
” I thought that was a lousy referendum.”
Andy, I thought all three were lousy referendums. All three would require either raising taxes, or will shift the burden elsewhere. It’s like when my Mom would tell me to eat my peas. I’d try to make the pile look smaller by spreading them out, and tucking them up under the mashed potatos, but the actual number of peas never decreased. Giving tax breaks to certain classes of people is a noble idea (I am a service disabled vet) in theory, but in practice, it means someone else ends up paying the bill. Increasing the rainy day fund, drawn from budget surplus, means they took too much to begin with.
I have to wonder, how many folks came out as part of the TEA (Taxed Enough Already) Party wave understood what a “yes” vote on any of these referendums really meant. Since all three passed, I can only conclude that they didn’t.
November 8, 2010 at 1:26 pm
Updating my Nov. 7 blog entry above, I share with you all that I received a thoughtful and straightforward telephone call from Delegate Miller today. I feel that we likely disagree on the M&A tax issue, but that’s not the point I’m making here. We had a good conversation.
November 8, 2010 at 4:40 pm
Rich, good that you had the conversation and, if I reading between the lines right, our Delegate still has the stand to remove M&T? What boggles my mind our Delegate served about two years on the Council, went through the Budget Cycles, and should know how important that revenue is to the City and Schools.
A little more on the M&T issue pulled from the HB613 (2010 Session) Financial Impact Statement: Aside from recognizing there is no impact to the State coffers, and there is an impact to the local governments across the Commonwealth that impose of a loss of $200+billion. Of course, no mention of replacing this revenue stream.
What the intent of the Bill was to take the M&T and convert it over to exempt intangible personal property exempt from tax. This was a follow on to the 2007 Acts where idle machines and tool were classifed as intangible not subject to local taxes.
Key word is idle. It allowed companies who were mothballing because of lack of work and the M&T will sit for a year, not to have to pay taxes.
Ok, good intent; helps the companies who want to remain in Virginia to ride out the recession. But for M&T that is not idle and to remove the local tax authority without replacement funding is just a bad idea.
November 8, 2010 at 8:13 pm
Ray, to be sure, I must emphasize that I do not know how our delegate will vote on this issue. And in any event, reasonable minds may differ on the best way to go.
I certainly understand the argument that a tax not eliminated could cause a company that is important to a community to move its operations overseas. But I sense no such real threat from our companies here. And I would imagine that, if they were asked, those companies would issue vociferous and true denials that they are considering such moves.
So, at least for me, I compare implied theoretical possibilities not voiced by large local companies here against the stark actuality of a $5 million reduction in revenues to the City and its children. For me, this stark actuality easily trumps a remote and theoretical potentiality. We cannot afford a $5 million loss that would absolutely result if the tax is eliminated.
So, to return to where I began, I do not in any way suggest that I know how our delegate, who is a gentleman, is leaning. But I do know how I would prefer that he cast his vote at the appropriate time.
November 8, 2010 at 8:27 pm
Does anyone know exactly where Del. Miller and Sen. Colgan stand on these issues?
November 8, 2010 at 9:18 pm
Thanks, Rich!
November 8, 2010 at 9:44 pm
I think it’s a good thing the schools will have few tax dollars to waste. Clearly, given the poor graduation rate for our High School, more money does not equal success. So, why not give spending less money a chance.
We all have to do with less these days, I expect our Government to do the same.
November 8, 2010 at 10:07 pm
Aye, matey, there’s the answer. Sending less on the schools will make them better. Maybe spending less on the police will improve the crime rate too. Maybe if I hold my breath…
November 9, 2010 at 1:23 am
Corporal Kooky,
Would you keep paying your doctor the same amount if he was only right 75% of the time in providing the right diagnosis for you? Would you continue to use him?
Would you be happy if the best grades your children earned were 75’s?
If spending a lot of money on education was the key to success, the DC public schools would be the best in the Nation.
November 9, 2010 at 6:03 am
You raise interesting metaphors. I know one thing for sure. Removing five million dollars from the city’s budget is not the answer.
The statehouse gang knows far less and care infinitely less about the city budget than the council does. It is capricious and grandstanding for the statehouse guys to remove revenues from the city and then claim victory for reducing taxes when they well know that they are merely transferring a political and financial issue from the state to the city.
The statehouse gang absolutely hates it when the feds do it to them, but they appear quite ready, even eager, to do it to the city.
November 9, 2010 at 7:22 am
@Lisa – We are having lunch with our delegation today and I’ll ask them if they have a position…I’ll also ask both if they would care to guest post their position.
COM: do you have children in the schools?
November 9, 2010 at 1:37 pm
Andy,
Not in the public school system. Why should we have him in a school system where close to half the students do not speak English, or very limited English, and a number of the other half are to interested in the style of their clothes, etc, to focus on what school is all about? I would love to be able to not have to even pay school taxes, since it’s a huge waste of money at this point.
It does appear that people are happy with our underperforming school system. I’ve not read a single word here or elsewhere from any school board member, City Council member, or school administrator regarding the poor graduation rate.
IMO, that simply is unacceptable. Everyone it appears is happy to spend millions without having to be held accountable for it. And, we wonder why so many people are sick and tired of politics and our elected “leaders”.
Sure, I may come across as blunt at times, but I’m on target for the most part. We have a failing school system, that is just going to get worse, because nobody, appears to want to take the steps to improve it. I’ll point out again that we do not have to spend so much on ESL students(of course that will once again fall on deaf ears). That of course is a huge cost to the system. Do you know if any of the school board members know this? And if they do, why are not trying to cut back on els spending?
It’s about the union and nothing more for the school board, teachers, etc.
Kooky,
You are right about how the State guys do not like what the Feds do to them, but they do it to us on the local level. It’s a cluster for sure.
November 9, 2010 at 7:21 pm
COM,
I do wish the school system was better but we do turn out a fair number of kids who go to UVA, VT, Hopkins, etc. Last year we were one of the few high schools in the country to send a child to each of the three major service academies. And we’ve had a state championship football team just a few years ago (and we’re looking pretty good this year too). But you are correct in noting that the numbers are not what we would like them to be. Far from it. We also have a fair number of citizens living below the poverty line.
My son goes to Osbourn. He gets pretty good grades (As and Bs) and he is happy there. His friends are good kids. He doesn’t get into fights and he is not picked on. He’s a varsity athlete, has a lovely girlfirend and is an acolyte at church. And (at 15) he has started working a few hours each weekend.
My wife and I are well educated, she with two degrees and me with three. I do know what a top performing high school looks like: Mine turned out seven nobel prize winners and six pulitzer prize winners (sounds like bs but it’s true; no other high school has even remotely approached that record).
I’m not a professional educator but I safely presume our schools could be improved. I just can’t see slashing their budgets as a viable step in the righ direction.
I do know that, if our schools are producing numbers we are less than pleased with, slicing the school budgets under those circumstances will further discourage people from moving here and establishing businesses here.
The school board and the council are well aware of the costs that you refer to. Indeed, they are far more aware than anyone else. They are merely people who sacrifice their time trying to do their best for our community. Perhaps others could do better but I don’t see them lining up. I’m not and neither are you.
You may and clearly do disagree with particular efforts of the school board and the council. But they are not twiddling their thumbs and just blogging (like you and me). They are “out there,” doing their best, with little if any thanks. They are not doing it for the bucks (what bucks?) and they are completely accountable to the public.
As to political accountability, there is no real political machinery in Manassas in the sense of there being a boss. I don’t know how the Dems work here but I do know the process for running as a Republican is quite open. Just get your petition signed and get as many supporters as you can to vote for you in the primary (primary is not the correct word but you know what I mean).
Our elected officials need our help, not jibes, not when they are out there trying to do the right thing (even if we don’t always agree with them). Cutting money to the schools is just not the right response.
November 9, 2010 at 9:33 pm
Rich,
Academics aside, I think it’s great that a City of 35,000 or so, has had one of the best football teams in the Commonwealth, and we should all be proud of that.
I don’t doubt there are students who excel even as the overall system seems to be failing. But, I can’t help but wonder at one time, it was the “bad” student who was in the minority.
The school budget is just about 90 million, if we can’t produce better numbers spending that much money, then obviously spending more is not always better. So, as I said, it can’t hurt to have less money. Sometimes people make do with less.
Accountability means resigning as the superintendent if the school system is failing under your watch. It means not just going with the flow. The very students we spend the most money on are killing the system. Yet, to a member the school board thinks it’s great that almost one half of the students are English limited. Nobody seems to want to cut the ESL budget which is where most of the waste is happening.
We simply are not getting anywhere near the return on that investment. That’s exactly why in many parts of the Country, where I believe there is a connection between a high drop out rate and a large number of people on social programs. It’s a cycle that keeps repeating. And pretty soon, one that will not turn around. Look at the City of Los Angeles. Once a great school system, now it’s just a blackhole of billions being wasted. We’ll be in the same position shortly if things are not turned around quick.
That means, gutting the ESL program, and teaching every student in the same class rooms as it used to be. It’s getting rid of the teachers union, and most importantly, getting rid of the elected school board. Putting the City Council in charge of appointing the school board means allowing the City Council to have more control of the school budget(getting rid of the silly agreement that gives the school system over half of the overall City budget) which will lead to more savings.
Why should anyone with the school system receive any thanks with a failing school system?
Would you give thanks and be happy if your son was only earning C’s? Or, would you demand more of him? Given your background I’m guessing C’s are not going to make you happy.
Would you be very happy with a job review of average?
People are not going to want to move here when you compare our schools with the surrounding County. I might be mistaken, but I believe every PW County High School had a better graduation rate.
November 10, 2010 at 1:39 pm
Rich and C.K. I’m with you. There are many reasons why students leave school — doesnt mean the system is failing. Both my children left Osbourn High School, earned their GEDs, and are currently working and enrolled GMU and NOVA. Their teachers from elementary through high school were outstanding – Janet Graham (science), Ann Kulakowski (math), Craig Dye (music), to name a few. All inspire and care about their students.
If the demographics have changed and more students need language help, the school system should be praised for meeting those needs, and we should support raising up all our youth. I know many volunteers in the ESL program for adults as well in our community. It can be a long, tiring process, but the rewards are priceless. We really are investing in our future.
Also, Andy, there was a great article in the Washington Post yesterday about the study circles that are bridging the achievement gap in Montgomery County Public Schools.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/08/AR2010110807128.html
John Landesman, featured in the article, is the same person who trained the facilitators for the neighborhood improvement circles in 2009. George Mason University paid for that training.
It wouldnt be difficult to set up a public school pilot – I just need someone in the city schools who is willing to work with me on it. Ive talked to several administrators and school board members about the circles over the past two years — just havent clicked with the right person yet.
Great seeing your biz partner at the Chambers MAPS event this morning in Manassas Park. Heres my tip — the premiere issue of the new regional lifestyle magazine, Prince William Living, is coming out in January 2011, but the deadline for getting an ad in is Nov. 30. Contact Rebecca Barnes at rbarnes@princewilliamliving.com for more info. I got a peek at the prototype and the editorial calendar.
November 10, 2010 at 2:05 pm
The graduation rate for els students is even worse. It’s not an investment in the future at all, it’s more like a black hole. I believe the grad rate for els students are in the 40% range. Ya, that’s something to hang our hat on and to continue to ask for even more money for the program.
Why are there volunteers for the els program, when it is already receiving far more money per student than non els students? That just goes to show this program is a complete waste.
End the els classes, put the students in regular classes to save money. It’s sink or swim as it was years ago for limited English speakers. How much lower can the grad rate get anyway?
The entire els program was started by the liberals to suck even more of our tax dollars into the public school system, in other words to the NEA, the teachers union. It’s a huge failure, but just like the auto unions, the teachers unions and their supporters have nothing negative to say about how the unions have destroyed the public school system.
Next year will be even worse, and the next year after that. The tax and wasters will not be disappointed at all.
November 10, 2010 at 2:09 pm
COM:
I’m not being flip when I wonder why you don’t run for School Board and change things? Posting angry blog comments here is going to have a limited impact….
November 10, 2010 at 10:44 pm
Andy,
If you think I’m angry on this blog….. I don’t work well with people who just want to keep spending rather than making spending cuts.
I can run, but I doubt in this tax and waste City I would get much support for doing away with school buses, esl classes, etc.
I’m still waiting for single elected “leader” of the City to voice concern over the direction of the school system. The silence is pretty telling.
November 10, 2010 at 10:48 pm
BTW, Andy,
Care to refute anything I’ve said regarding the poor shape the school system is in? I don’t think it’s being angry pointing out the truth.
November 11, 2010 at 8:20 am
Nope. My daughter is in the schools and performing well. My wife and I are very happy.
November 11, 2010 at 11:14 am
Andy, in the same way the neighborhoods have to fight the stereotypes by taking an active part in the community as a whole — both Georgetown South and Dale City Civic Association were represented at the Chamber event yesterday — the schools have to communicate beyond their primary audience of students and parents.
Bridges like Almeta Radford and Sandy Thompson taking part in Leadership Prince William and Al volunteering her time to teach the Social Networking for Neighborhoods session at Saturday’s Neighborhood Conference are great outreach efforts.
Starting circles with parents, teachers, students — and community members — would be a start. You saw what the Beer Summit did for giving folks a chance to both talk and listen.
November 12, 2010 at 7:20 am
Andy,
Just to clarify, You are happy with the 75% graduation rate? You are happy with the even lower graduation rate of esl students that cost even more to educate per student? You are happy the school board is not aware that we do not have to spend so much on esl students?
November 12, 2010 at 8:22 am
Tom:
I’m not happy with it but there isn’t a lot I can do about it. Two reasons:
1. I don’t have any more time to give. City government eats my time like there’s no tomorrow and I still have to earn a living and return home from time to time.
2. I was elected to run the City, not the schools.
Com: Go to a school board meeting and speak. Send them an email. Run for office.
November 12, 2010 at 9:49 am
com,
Mixing the esl students into the regular classroom is not a good idea when there are so many of them. The flood of esl students into the classrooms was one of the major factors that forced us to pull our daughter out of Haydon several years ago. With one exception the teachers at Haydon were excellent, they deserved better than having an impossible situation to deal with in their classrooms.
You may be right that the esl program is poorly thought out and too much of a drain on the system’s resources, I’m going to look into it. I do know that the learning environment for ‘efl’ students is a lot better than it was several years ago when esl students took so much of the teachers’ attention.
p.s. Haydon dumped the bad teacher, hired a sharp and competent principal, and right now, as far as we’re concerned, offers as good an education you’ll find.
November 12, 2010 at 10:25 am
Andy H,
I agree with com that more money does not translate into better schools and when you talk about how attractive Manassas is as a business environment don’t neglect mentioning the pull of some of the outstanding private schools in the area which have brought families and businesses into the area.
November 13, 2010 at 6:50 pm
Andy,
Thanks. Though, I believe as a City Council member, you should be more involved with the schools. For example working to end the silly budget sharing agreement. To me that’s like the Federal Government telling agencies they have to spend or lose the money. A lot of it is wasted.
Doug,
If they could lower the cost of the program that would be a huge first step, and in fact we can do that right now. But it appears nobody wants to save money
November 13, 2010 at 10:29 pm
COM,
I think you’re right that the budget dance between the council and board is not a pretty sight. I don’t think it serves anyone’s interest, except maybe the school system’s central office.
The ESL program should have been set up as more an intensive, immersion program rather than what I’m hearing about. Do you know to what extent, if any, the church programs are integrated into the system?
November 16, 2010 at 5:11 pm
Doug,
I think you are right. Not even the police and fire are provided with such a deal.
I’m not sure about the church programs. However, I’m sure there might be some resistance from the libs to get Churches involved in the public school system.
November 17, 2010 at 8:41 am
Here’s more information about the ESL program for adults. Local faith organizations volunteer space for the classes to meet and help recruit volunteers.
http://eslim.org/contact_esl.html
From my understanding, teaching English as a Second Language for children in the schools is more successful when they have the support of adults at home. Everyone involved in these volunteer classes should be commended because they are boosting those tax dollars that are invested in our youth.
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