In the next month, Albemarle County will establish its real estate tax rate and budget for fiscal year 2008-2009. Even in flush years, the final steps of this process are fractious. Parents of children in the public schools, teachers, advocates for social programs, environmentalists and others appear at public hearings and call for funding of items deemed essential. Tax rate activists and representatives of business organizations assert that responsible government requires reduced spending.
This year, Albemarle County revenues have fallen below those projected in 2007 at budget time. This shortfall is due to a decline in the real estate market. Important staff positions remain unfilled and at the current real estate tax rate, prospects for funding many intended county programs next year are bleak.
Budgets should support necessary government services. Setting tax rates first and then asking what necessary government activities are fundable is a recipe for government that does not meet its responsibilities. Investment in our future is an essential part of good fiscal responsibility.
The Piedmont Group of the Sierra Club believes that environmental protection and a strong public education system are basic to the well-being of our community. We cannot neglect our natural resources and our children, whatever the state of the real estate market. Climate change, population growth and other factors require the wise investment of resources and careful planning.
The current revenue shortfall has already harmed county long-term planning efforts. Hiring replacement staff for rural protection and other planning positions has been frozen. Workloads attached to these vacant positions have been shifted to remaining staff. An example is the Albemarle Natural Heritage Committee, charged with developing a long-term plan for protection of county biological resources, which now has nearly zero staff support. A new Community Development rural areas support position, which would help develop local markets for county agricultural products, remains unfilled. This agricultural local marketing position, which is called for in our comprehensive plan, has remained frozen even as a quarter of a million dollars has rested idle in a business opportunity development fund with no specific purpose.
The Natural Heritage Committee has requested increased staff support for fiscal year 2008-2009. The Sierra Club urges the county to fund this increase. We also urge the county to demonstrate its comprehensive plan commitment to local agriculture by funding the frozen rural areas support position.
Albemarle recently joined the “Cool Counties” program and committed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent by 2050. This can only be achieved with investments in energy efficiency, building design, public transit and other areas which will save us money over time and yield many environmental and health benefits.
The strength of our education system is critical if we are to train leaders who can effectively meet the challenges of an increasingly complex world. We must ensure that our children receive quality instruction in a safe and healthy learning environment. Retaining and training competent individuals to work with our children is an investment that will pay handsome dividends for years to come. Eliminating toxic materials from school buildings will enhance student performance and provide long-term health benefits.
Finally, let’s keep clear that in budget discussions, the elephant in the room is our expanding population. Costs of new development range from expanding school budgets to infrastructure. Those who promote growth cannot validly claim to be apostles of fiscal discipline. We cannot allow costs of growth to drive out support for environmental protection, education, public health or other vital government activities. Let’s take care of the things that matter.
Tom Olivier is conservation chair and John Cruickshank is executive committee chair of Piedmont Group of the Sierra Club.
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