City Manager Gary O’Connell has presented the city’s $100.3M FY2005 budget proposal to City Council, a 7.1% increase over the current $93.6M budget. The city cites decreased state support (such as school and jail funding, a consequence of the state’s ongoing fiscal crisis) in the need to raise city taxes. To fund the increased spending, O’Connell proposes doubling the cigarette tax from $0.12 to $0.25 per pack, raising the monthly E-911 tax from $1.04 to $3, and an unspecified increase in the currently-$2/bag trash stickers. The debate over the proposal should last for about six weeks, at which time Council will take a vote. Elizabeth Nelson has the story in today’s Progress.
Archive for March, 2004
WINA is reporting on the results of a survey (176k PDF) that they’ve commissioned, which seems to show majority support for the construction of a western bypass. The survey of 400 registered voters in the 22901, 22902, 22903, and 22911 ZIP codes shows that 57% of those polled favor the construction of the western bypass. 51% agree with the statement “The bypass is a good idea and we need to get going on it.” 13% said that the bypass should go to Wal-Mart, 35% to the airport, and the 37% clear up to Ruckersville. 67% said that Charlottesville bears some responsibility to non-local drivers that should allow for a bypass. The survey has a margin of error of 4.9%. 7:20pm Update: I compared the sample demographics to the census demographics, and it doesn’t appear that these results can be generalized to the population as a whole. Read the comments for details.
The never-ending parade continues: the owner of the former Comdial plant on Rt. 29 wants to convert it into a shopping center. Seminole Trail Properties bought the building for $11.4M three years ago, and they now want to tear down the plant and install a home improvement store, a 70k sq. ft. retail store, and four smaller buildings between 9k and 36k sq. ft. There’s nothing solid about the proposal, but the options for the space are limited, and presumably the owners would like to make back their $11.4M somehow. David Dadurka has the story in today’s Progress.
Paul writes: There was a forum for all the city council candidates on March 18th. It really gave everyone in the room a good sense of who the candidates are, but the news reports are pretty bland. The best coverage was the Progress. Was anyone else there and want to give their impression?
dsewell writes: Recently, Dominion Virginia Power made adjustments to their billing schedule, so the most recent March bills that went out were for an extended period. In my case, the bill was for a 41-day period and based on an estimated read… and the charge was for well over $300, whereas I’ve never had an electric bill over $200 in any month. So I checked the electric meter and found that the bill was based on an estimated reading of about 1000 kW/hr more than my actual usage. I phoned Dominion and they said they’d adjust the bill. Today at work I casually mentioned this, and it turned out that two co-workers living in entirely different parts of the county had the same experience with their last bill. How widespread is this? Did everyone get overcharged?
For months now, the Charlottesville Police have been pushing black men in Charlottesville to submit to DNA tests, ostensibly to eliminate potential suspects in the serial repist case. Suspects are told that they are protecting themselves by submitting to the test, because it rules them out. 550 have done so thus far. UVa Dean of African-American Affairs Rick Turner has grown unhappy with these DNA tests, and is calling for a meeting to talk this through. Last August, UVa student Steven Turner wrote about his subjection to this test in The Hook. Corinne Shamy has the story in today’s Cavalier Daily.
We all remember Deputy Shiflett: he claimed to have been shot by a black man, had a couple of guys taken into custody, his story didn’t add up, he resigned, Sheriff Ed Robb put his foot in his mouth, Commonwealth’s Attorney Jim Camblos refused to charge Shiflett, the Progress went after Camblos’ inconsistencies, Camblos didn’t do jack to investigate the case, and the two black guys filed suit for false arrest. (Phew.) Now, Judge Paul Peatross has ordered that the files pertaining to the investigation into Shiflett be opened up, not for public scrutiny, but for the attorneys on either side of the lawsuits. Investigators are now saying that they have two theories: either Shiflett shot himself (or made it look like he’d shot himself), or somebody else shot him and Shiflett is covering it up. Liesel Nowack has the story in today’s Progress.
daniellevi writes: According to a new book out today, Charlottesville is the #1 place in the U.S. to live. See the article from USA Today.
Just behind us are Santa Fe, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Honolulu. Ashville, a town often compared to Charlottesville, ranks #8.
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