Unbelievable! How stupid can you be!

Posted by maravetz (anonymous) on December 2, 2008 at 9:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)

BOS decides NOT to spend money! Now that's news! Maybe this quarter million can be put towards our county's school budget; spending money on our children's futures makes a heck of a lot more sense!

Posted by LoudounPatriot (anonymous) on December 2, 2008 at 11:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)

patriot, read the story again: this is from the Transient Occupancy Tax, levied on tourists, which must be plowed back into tourism.

The choice the BoS made was to reject real tourism, of a scale that could be called economic.

Instead they chose to fund Journey Through Hallowed Ground hospitality, on a scale that could be called both precious and outrageous.

Loudoun is footing the lion's share of the "hospitality" for this three STATE and dozens-of-counties boondoggle.

Since it must be put toward tourism, why not put it toward something real?

Posted by BarbaraMunsey (anonymous) on December 3, 2008 at 6:52 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Please. Out of town Redskins fans are not going to stay in Loudoun county on "Destination Packages" Remember where the Redskins actually play.

In this current economy this would be an unconscionable choice to spend funds on. The NFL does not need our help. Even if this money must be spent on tourism related activities it would be better spent focusing on activities that are more likely to attract tourists to the area in the first place- like the Air & Space Annex or Civil War era historical sites. Know your audience.

Posted by No11 (anonymous) on December 3, 2008 at 8:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)

No11, the only Civil War site of significance in Loudoun is Ball's Bluff.

The rest is primarily vernacular history. Read some of the historical markers: so-and-so camped here on the way to somewhere else.

Lots of cavalry moved up and down 50 and 15 on the way to actual battles elsewhere, but that doesn't make Loudoun the "precursor" to Gettysburg or anything else, as so charmingly (and misleadingly) marketed by the tax-write-off crowd.

Look at other votes of this BoS, urged on by groups of the "I am Holy" variety: the ban on state-approved alternative septic systems was a true blow to an actual rural economy.

The Unison Preservation League (founded by a retired Post editor) supported it.

Why is Unison so remarkably well preserved a hamlet if there was a "three day battle" there (really a three day chase of one caisson from the real Battle of the Shenandoah Valley Campaign through Snickers Gap, ending with the wagon's destruction three miles north of a hamlet then called Union in records)?

Because NOTHING HAPPENED THERE to destroy anything.

The Goose Creek Association supported the ban, saying give an exemption to churches, BUT NOT TO B&Bs.

Where will the small percentage of overnighters who want to play vernacular "I feel historic" stay if not in one of the well-preserved establishments of the land that history PASSED THROUGH?

The TOT tax must be spent on tourism. If that's the case, let's spend it on something that people DO spend money on regardless of hobby, background or lifestyle.

Pro sports would seem to qualify.

Posted by BarbaraMunsey (anonymous) on December 3, 2008 at 8:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Guess the skins would not "kick back" to the BOS. This just shows the mind set of the BOS. Once again they have way to much power and authority. How many millions of dollars will now go to VA Beach? Thanks please raise my property tax and increase the value of my home. Please give whats left of AOL a nice big tax break! your the best.

Posted by Funnyguyva (anonymous) on December 3, 2008 at 9:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)

No11 is quite correct. The NFL are Billionaires and we dont need to speed $100K to promote them and maybe us. Spend the money somewhere more useful like maybe build a few more stoplights or pave dirt roads.

Posted by lewandow (anonymous) on December 3, 2008 at 9:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)

The BOS has spoken; I guess they would rather have tourist go on down to Rt 15 to get educated on how to go see Civil War sites in MD and PA.
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I am flabbergasted at this lack of judgment. This isn't about being a Redskin's fan or being a Cowboy's fan. This is the NFL. A viable tax paying, existing Loudoun, business. We can't see fit to support commerce in Loudoun? And this was without using Loudoun tax money! Unbelievable.
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We very well could be witnessing the Sharon Pratt Dixons of Loudoun County.

Posted by maravetz (anonymous) on December 3, 2008 at 10:04 a.m. (Suggest removal)

lewandow, many of those who will benefit from JTHG are millionaires, many of whom pay little to no tax because of scams like "open space".

There is a billionaire out in the western county who is frequently featured on the federal farm subsidy, is in county land use, and charges $150 for a holiday bird because it is "guilt free" (snort!) heirloom freerange organically raised and humanely slaughtered.

And the Post has printed lovely pictures of an heirloom bull there up to its knees in a tributary of Goose Creek.

As with traditional vs. alternative septic, we must all apparently remember that SOME effluent doesn't stink!

Posted by BarbaraMunsey (anonymous) on December 3, 2008 at 10:04 a.m. (Suggest removal)

lewandow,
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This wasn't costing us a dime of tax money. It was TOT funds. Not a penny of which came out of yours or my pocket. The BOS was looking at a 100% return on their vote, and they blew it.
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And in doing so, now have a big issue with another business in Loudoun. Someone is going to have to repair the County's relationship with the Redskins.
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I am sure the first call that came the Redskin's way this morning was from VA Beach. They have been chomping at the bit to get the Redskins down there. Ask Carlisle, PA or Frostburg MD if the Redskins benefited their economies by being in town.

Posted by maravetz (anonymous) on December 3, 2008 at 10:11 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Encourage the supervisors to bring this back for reconsideration. The decision was made without getting key information necessary to make an INFORMED decision.

I think in some cases this was a knee-jerk reaction caused by the same thought I had AT FIRST - give the wealthy Redskins money?? Why?? It is a business plan - Loudoun County would be purchasing advertising and there are no strings attached - they can walk away after the first year. Investment -100k of TOT funds. These funds can't be spent elsewhere, anyway. I think it is a win-win.

Posted by momof2 (anonymous) on December 3, 2008 at 11:06 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Supervisors: Please reconsider this vote!

Posted by maravetz (anonymous) on December 3, 2008 at 11:52 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Alcohol, sex and cigars?? Is she kidding?? First, Loudoun has a wine trail. Until recently, Old Dominion Brewery was in Ashburn - not to mention all the other brewpubs in the area. Second, sex. Everyone has it; it's how we all got here. Oh, don't talk about it though. Forgot, I'm in Virginia. Third, Virginia is the home of Big Tobacco!! One can only hope to have a smoke-free Virginia. But instead, Virginia is completely beholden to Philip Morris. Sally Kurtz sounds like a complete idiot with this comment. Loudoun lost a great opportunity to actually make some money.

Posted by ms1234 (anonymous) on December 3, 2008 at 11:57 a.m. (Suggest removal)

The BOS should actually do the opposite of the way they vote...just like my decisions on my stock purchases...they are so misguided!

Posted by wspasp (anonymous) on December 3, 2008 at 12:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Momof2, should we take any bets on Mr. Miller bringing it back?

Let's see, he's willing to change the rules to allow goats on lots of less than five acres west of 15, because he "feels the pain", but votes against schools in his own district, making a middle school now THREE YEARS overdue, and delaying a high school?

Let's start a pool, and you and I will dibs "never". We'll clean up!

Posted by BarbaraMunsey (anonymous) on December 3, 2008 at 1:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Hi Barbara,
You are right!! Here's a thought. Right about now we could use a morale builder - the economy is in the toilet, we can't build schools where they are needed, we probably won't get the hospital where we would like it to be, the Redskins may leave, should I go on? No, it is too depressing.

We should ask for a special exception to have ponies in the common areas in Dulles South. That should cheer us all up, especially if we can get some peppermint and/or eggnog ice cream to go with it. Hopefully, 5 out of 9 supervisors would see our extreme need and grant it even though, of course, it would be an outrageous request. H0-HO-HO!!!

Posted by momof2 (anonymous) on December 3, 2008 at 1:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I wonder if the Redskins are saying the same thing as Sally Kurtz: "I don't know if I necessarily want our logo in that venue". I'm not a huge Redskins fan, but have been to training camp many times with the kids. A Redskins Hall of Fame supported by Loudoun County would have been fantastic. I sure hope they don't move their training camp to someplace. Apparently it wasn't that difficult to go from Frostburg and Carlisle to Ashburn.

Posted by deanzywicki (anonymous) on December 3, 2008 at 2:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)

************PLEASE READ*************
thisvote was at the same time they voted down the Rskins.

The Board of Supervisors voted 5-4 yesterday to allocate $156,000 in matching funds with LoCo's tourism tax dollars to the Journey Through Hallowed Ground Partnership to promote tourism in Loudoun and surrounding historical jurisdictions. (Some fans of Loudoun's proposed Redskins tourism marketing agreement which failed yesterday, aren't too happy about this particular tourism vote.)

WAKE UP THIS IS TOTAL BS. WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE. WHO THE HELL DOES THE BOS/FOS THINK THEY ARE. FORGOD SAKE PLEASE REMEMBER THIS STUPID CRAP WHEN ITS TIME TO VOTE FOR THESE DUMB SOB'S

Posted by Funnyguyva (anonymous) on December 3, 2008 at 2:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Now that's funny, funnyguy is now having to beg people to read his stuff. Guess he's getting the idea that the ignore button is efficient.

Posted by maravetz (anonymous) on December 3, 2008 at 5:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)

This is hilarious!

I see the same band of nary gadflies is still haunting Loudoun politics....and using the same inflammatory rhetorical nonsense.

Good luck with that. People understand that times are tough, and that dollars for tourism in the 50/15 countryside actually have far more potential to generate additional revenue for the county than forking it over to a billion-dollar enterprise that absolutely positively does not need money to put the Loudoun County logo on some marketing materials!

For the record, I am very suspicious of the entire TOT program, and would prefer that it not even exist, but at least this Board understands where those dollars are actually likely to have an impact.

Does anyone rational actually believe that Loudoun County spending $100K marketing the Redskins and the county together will add any additional people attending a training camp? I am open to evidence if it's out there, but I doubt that. The dedicated fans that come will be there regardless.

And I have a lot of trouble believing that the Redskins would pick up and leave Loudoun over something like this, although knowing Dan Snyder's petty reputation I suppose it's possible. If I heard the team management and owners talking about that, then that is something to take seriously.

But for now, I'm only hearing it from the usual band of gadflies...

Posted by DouginMountVernon (anonymous) on December 5, 2008 at 5:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Also, I would add, that if the Redskins come back and ask for money for a Hall of Fame, now THAT sounds like a concrete investment that would be a good use for TOT funds. But MARKETING material? Sorry, good job BOS.

Posted by DouginMountVernon (anonymous) on December 5, 2008 at 5:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Doug, the scale of tourism on 50/15 is not equivalent to an actual economy, and you know that.

Small, fragile and precious does not lend itself to VOLUME, which is what brings in $.

In addition, the Redskins proposal had actually been through committee and come out with a 4-0 vote in favor, and lo and behold some changed their vote when "new info" came about?

Like the "new info" that Cate Wyatt wanted money.

The JTHG proposal (and I'm being generous) has NOT been through any committee or vetting process, and Andrea "Do this over for the sake of transparency" McGimsey said it didn't NEED to go through any process.

Double standard, hypocrisy, no business sense.

Posted by BarbaraMunsey (anonymous) on December 7, 2008 at 8:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Getting to and from Loudon county is almost as annoying as getting to and from FedEx Field.

Posted by rdpinva (anonymous) on December 13, 2008 at 7:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)