The six members of the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors brought plenty to keep them charged through Wednesday night’s public hearing on county executive Bob Tucker‘s recommended budget—water, Gatorade, soda, and more than five hours of quiet, respectful attention.
What did the public bring? More than 130 speakers, with the majority calling for full funding of superintendent Pamela Moran’s recent $145.2 million budget request for county schools, and plenty more asking for support of county libraries and an increase in real estate taxes.
The crowd waves signs reading "Keep the promise to Virginia’s students" during a public hearing on the recommended Albemarle County budget.
While rhetorical devices ranged from historic quotes to first-person accounts from teachers, PTO members and students, the majority made the same point. Hundreds of crowd members wore red and waved signs in support of fully funding the proposed county schools budget; a few others waved orange signs that read "Think outside the tax box."
Not everyone spoke favorably of raising real estate taxes. In fact, at 11:23pm, one resident said he felt school budgets should be cut, because they "have been living high on hog for some time."
"They can afford to cut back a little bit. Our kids aren’t going to die because schools get cut a couple percent," he added.
Yet plenty others provided county executive Bob Tucker with checks of $365 or so, representing a $1 per day donation, in support of public schools. The meeting adjourned at roughly 11:50pm.
Stay tuned to c-ville.com for video excerpts of Wednesday’s public hearing on the recommended county budget, and read next week’s C-VILLE for a full report. In the meantime, speak up: Is it time to consider a real estate tax increase for Albemarle County residents? Leave your comments below.
