"I think there will be a modest increase in the total amount of money [the schools] get," said Supervisor James Burton (I-Blue Ridge), "but it will not be anywhere near what they expect. ...I hope it will not be contentious."
It’s a damn good thing I can't vote you out. Here you go with the "Modest" and "What they expect" let me tell all of you BOS one thing. Stop it, STOP right now! If you’re lucky you will see a drop of only 30% of tax revenue. If you’re lucky you will only have to spend 40% of the total budget on the schools. If you’re lucky! Let me tell say. someone better be asking what the VOTERS EXPECT! I will go ahead and tell you that in hard times like today and what will be worst tomorrow I expect someone to step up and stop this madness. I expect someone to step up and say we can no longer do business this way! FREEZE THE NUMBER OF NEW STUDENTS, FREEZE NEW CONTSTURCTION, FREEZE SPENDING AND MAKE IT LAST 3 YEARS! This winter more people will be freezing because they can not warm their homes and you want MODEST MONEY!

Dr Hatrick ruled out a wage freeze, saying that would leave the county at a disadvantage. Guess what, they better be happy to have a job doing what they are trained to do. If they want to move to another county during these hard times THEN SO BE IT. Some great teachers will stay in the jobs because they want a JOB! TAKE THE HARD STAND! Tell them now that wages and hiring will be frozen right now. Tell them loyalty and dedication will ensure WAGES and POSITION will not get SLASHED! It’s time to make hard decisions by strong leadership, not with false hopes. LISTEN TO THE VOTERS!

Posted by Funnyguyva (anonymous) on September 30, 2008 at 8:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)

sorry for the typing errors, I was to passionate!

Posted by Funnyguyva (anonymous) on September 30, 2008 at 9:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Companies across the region are cutting jobs, people are losing homes, builders have stopped erecting houses, and the new shopping mall completed on Edwards Ferry Road near Home Depot has more vacant stores than filled spaces. Attention Mr. Hatrick: Time to do what most families in Loudoun are doing -- cut spending, rein in costs, cut luxuries and squeeze the belt a few notches. You WILL have to eliminate programs and cut staff.

Posted by glastonbury27 (anonymous) on September 30, 2008 at 9:11 a.m. (Suggest removal)

'Budget of Desctruction'? Spellcheck pweeez.

I agree with previous posters re. Hat-Trick: all this fool wants is to increase his own power and influence by getting more of our money. It's disgusting, but typical.

Posted by Justthefacts (anonymous) on September 30, 2008 at 10:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Hatrick is completely out of control. Does anyone know how much time is left on his contract.

Posted by jjkbird (anonymous) on September 30, 2008 at 11:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)

If school enrollment is still increasing, why can't the new families moving into the county make up for the increased budget needs with the new property taxes they're paying? Why can't anyone explain this to me?

Posted by Dingus2 (anonymous) on September 30, 2008 at 11:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Dingus2 - Someone explained to me some time ago that the development industry has very powerful lobbyists in Richmond that have successfully prevented attempts by localities like Loudoun to collect impact fees (what I think you are talking about). We live in a State which is very pro-business. Another example of their influence is groups like Citizens for Property Rights (CPR) - well funded by the development industry, who successfully changed the rural zoning during the previous Board's term to allow even MORE houses. Those clowns actually say development pays for itself.

Today, the Town of Purcellville has sent a letter to Chairman York requesting settlement of the HS-3 litigation. To pass the redface test for being remotely fiscally responsible, the Board of Supervisors must settle this case immediately so they can quit wasting millions of dollars we don't have. LCPS has stated every year HS-3 is delayed costs $4M (interesting, LCPS reports HS-7 delays will cost $8M/year but HS-3 delays are only $4M/year - go figure!?!). How much has Supervisor Burton and the BOS wasted on legal fees and court costs? Obviously, the fight can't be about saving money, so is it all about asserting their authority over their minions - e.g., HOAs/ Towns/Villages? ENOUGH!

Posted by stinger (anonymous) on September 30, 2008 at 12:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I'm shocked that Supervisor Burton and the rest of the BOS can actually look the taxpayers of this county in the face and ask us to fork over more money instead of looking at trimming some of the fat of county government - at the same time that our home prices continue to decline, our gas prices and energy costs are still skyhigh, our retirements are in jeopardy, etc. Like many people, I'm tightening my belt and cutting back. But it seems that our elected officials think that the homeowners in this county are their piggy banks.

Since I haven't seen any articles about programs that will trimmed or services that will be scaled back, I have to wonder how much they're going to ask us to pony up next year on top of this year's increase?

Posted by jberg2004 (anonymous) on September 30, 2008 at 12:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Weird, still cant find the part in the story that talks about your taxes going up. Some of you guys need to get your hands off the panic button and stop acting so foolishly. Your property values have dropped a lot, your property taxes are actually going to be LESS than they are know. Somehow the school system will make due with less money but some of your suggestions are incredibly selfish and are ignorant as well. If you want all the school system employees to bite the bullet and get no raises for 3 years, lets see you do the same. Read the article fully before you just randomly spew off comments that really don't make any sense. No one said anything about taking money from you or making you pay more.

Posted by russcarreiro (anonymous) on September 30, 2008 at 3:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Sarah, you need to stop mixing school activism and growth activism. Remember, anyone who wants to sell their land or use it is a "greedy developer", and now thanks to the folks whose selective info you are regurgitating, the schools are also "greedy developers".

This is a by right state, and a Dillon Rule state. Loudoun doesn't get to do anything all by its lonesome just 'cause its so SPECIAL.

Schools are required by law to serve existing residents. Remember them? The ones this BoS campaigned on, but really only mean the ones who contributed to them?

Funnyguy, let me know when you're going to put forth your no-doubt perfect plan to FREEZE NEW STUDENTS. We could broadcast the debate on that little gem as a syndicated reality show and balance the budget well into the next century.

Posted by BarbaraMunsey (anonymous) on September 30, 2008 at 3:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Dingus2 - we cannot do that because we are a bunch of pansies.

Russcarreiro - our property values have dropped a lot? I agree with you, but the BoS does not. There is no way I would be able to sell my home today for even 1/2 of what I could have gotten two years ago. However, how does your tax assessment look? Mine looks very similar to how it looked 2 years ago. The assessments are inflated and are not tied to any index other than "this is what the county says it's worth, so suck it up and deal, because we want your money bwahahaha." And yet we are taxed on these assessments! And please read Burton's comments carefully (as well as Miller's in another article that is somewhere on this site from about a week ago): the only way for there to be ANY increase at all in school funding (which Burton says he wants) is for our taxes to go up. LoCo doesn't have a rainy day fund :P

Posted by Justthefacts (anonymous) on September 30, 2008 at 4:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)

My tax assessment looks a lot lower than it did last year. My house has not lost half its value but I did not buy it two years ago when the market was totally inflated. Thats no ones fault really, but its obviously not the school systems or the students or employees of the school systems fault either. Of course Burton wants an increase in funding, its his job to want that. Is he going to get it? Probably not, so stop the chicken little act. Odds are he will finding a way to make up for the short fall, not spending your tax money. You live in a great area so you need to pay for it. Thats life. One cant come without the other. You want to live in a great area you pay up and I can tell you that your taxes are not going to go up because of the school system, but because of the real estate market. Thats assuming they do go up, which is not mentioned in this article.

Posted by russcarreiro (anonymous) on September 30, 2008 at 9:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)

If we stop spending for the school system, our schools will be overcrowded, quality goes down and your property values tank even more. Loundoun has grown really fast and the developers took their profit and run. All the infrastructure, like roads, schools and so on is left to the taxpayer. What a surprise...

The new board is doing a lot better with denials of re-zonings and tries to get business to Loudoun. New business will pay taxes and take some of the tax burden of us, "the big tax payer".

Even if the previous board may have allowed over development, its the people who handed ARM and negative equity loans like candy on Halloween who are responsible. Not sure whether the board of supervisors had any saying on the selling price, ask yourself.

For the mess with foreclosures and the stock market and the value of your house, feel free to recognize the greedy bankers at Wall Street and tons of people who spend money they don't have. We are having a negative savings rate in the US. People like Warren Buffet and Jeremy Siegel predicted the current Wall Street and housing crisis years ago. Siegel predicted that Fannie May and Freddy Mac are going to bust, read his book.

Posted by gruenwolfgang (anonymous) on September 30, 2008 at 10:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)

My daughter teaches is Loudoun clunty, and I can say that she is not going to get rich on what she is paid. Also, the suggestions that new students not be permitted in the district is ridiculous besides being illegal. The County is obliged to educate the children living within its borders. What would the alternative be? Should we have children roam the streets during school hours because they are not in school? Without additional schools, there will be more trailers attached to existing schools.

Posted by jeanhecht (anonymous) on October 1, 2008 at 12:17 a.m. (Suggest removal)

One point about the property taxes vs. the cost of educating those children in that house: there is one property tax bill per house, and there is often more than child per house. Plus the amount of property tax dollars paid on a home is not equivalent to the cost of educating even one child per year -- far from it. The dollars must also come from sales taxes in the county and other county fees such as decals. As consumer spending goes down, local government revenue goes down, and then there are budget shortfalls from Virginia as well.

Of course the schools will be trying to do more with less, but that impacts class sizes, and quality of services. What level of services are people willing to accept for the education of the leaders of the next generation?

Posted by maurybrown69 (anonymous) on October 1, 2008 at 10:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)

To russcarreiro: No, we (collective we) do not live in a "great" area. Perhaps you live in Broadlands or Belmont Country Club. If you live in Belmont, good luck with that increasing crime wave, I bet the scum will be moving on to home invasions after getting sick of just swiping GPS units there ... it has gone car break ins > home invasions > assaults > gang violence in nearly every other area around here, so good luck .......

To gruenwolfgang: Loudoun business taxes are really, really, really low. No, they do not pay their share - if you think that, you need to read the Loudoun Easterner more often. Either that, or you are new here. That has historically been a huge issue.

To maurybrown69: you forget about the high percentage of no-child households here. There are a lot of retirees living in LoCo, particularly in the East. Real nice to make it even harder for them to afford to live here by jacking up their property taxes, eh? By the way, WHAT leaders of the next generation are being educated at Pot-Falls and Park View, pray tell? The leaders of the next generation of 18th Street and MS-13, do you mean? ;)

Posted by Justthefacts (anonymous) on October 1, 2008 at 11:06 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Err, should read if you live in BROADLANDS good luck with the increasing crime wave. Belmont, as I understand it, hasn't been so impacted.

Posted by Justthefacts (anonymous) on October 1, 2008 at 11:12 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Maurybrown: I understand your comments but what about the houses that have no school age children? Also Maury, we have had an increase in trash, water, sewer, electric and gas. Where does it end? class size? Quality? Please I have dropped vehicle insurance, reduced my cable channels, dropped my hardline phone and only use my cell, turned up AC, and stopped driving except to and from work. I have not gone out to eat in several weeks. I have tried to cut my spending but the prices are still going up and so therefore I AM DOING LESS WITH LESS. You have no argument.
jeanhecht: I agree that your daughter will never be rich in money. But how rich is she knowing the positive impact she is having on our children every day. I agree there are some outstanding teachers in LC. I don’t agree with the fact of not freezing pay or hiring RIGHT NOW. We are facing hard times. It time for hard decisions. I am doing less with less and so should the LCPS system. Yes its stupid to think we should freeze new enrollments, but what about a lottery system, or prorated tax base for new students family. WHAT ABOUT SOMETHING TO GET HE BURDEN OFF OF OUR BACKS? Don’t pee on my foot and tell me its raining!

Posted by Funnyguyva (anonymous) on October 1, 2008 at 11:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)

To justthefacts:
I don't have a problem with anything that you wrote EXCEPT your comment about Pot Falls and Park View students.It sounds like you are saying that all the students at these two schools are gang memebers and not leaders. I would disagree. There are plenty of students at both schools who will go on to college or into the workforce and be productive members of society.

Posted by msm6 (anonymous) on October 1, 2008 at 12:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Aside from the County's accumulating legal/court expenses we are all paying for on the HS-3 litigation, here is another way BOS could be get more bang for their buck. If they quickly take Purcellville's latest settlement offer, the Tuscarora (HS-5) and Woodgrove (HS-3) construction contracts can be bundled. Bundling the contracts brings economy of scale savings (a single larger RFP instead of 2 separate ones) and was reported by Burton as being saved when Briar Woods + Freedom HSs were built simultaneously and opened in 2002. If they keep dragging their feet, the School Board will be forced to send out single Tuscarora RFP now and then separate Woodgrove one sometime later. I think investing those funds in road upgrades would be a far better use of our taxes than paying more for construction contracts. It's not a choice of spending the money - it is how that money will be spent that BOS needs to decide. Please urge your representative to settle the litigation now so this school can finally open in 2010 so our taxes are spent more wisely.

Posted by stinger (anonymous) on October 1, 2008 at 2:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Question for Barbara: Do you actually think your incessant opining here and elsewhere actually has an impact for the causes you push? Because to me it almost seems that your involvement does your positions a disservice. If you're pushing for something, chances are the public at large will turn against it. Don't you think?

Posted by louiebird (anonymous) on October 1, 2008 at 2:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Louiebird, after living here for 11 years and watching the wheel roll back around to the same old thing over and over again, I find that often those who would rather I shut up are angry that it cuts into THEIR targeted speech.

Think about it: as long as growth remains dynamic (which it WILL in the DC Metro area), how many new people are there each month? How much fresh meat for all the causes?

It is why the same game plan is run each election by the same people, and why it wins every other cycle. It is all new to the people who moved in last week.

They should no more be supporting what they get in an e-mail from someone with a (paid?) agenda than they should be opposing something simply because they heard on a blog or in an email that I'm an (insert evil meme of the month here).

Posted by BarbaraMunsey (anonymous) on October 1, 2008 at 4:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)

msm6, it was a joke :) The way maurybrown69 was phrasing his opinion made it sound like he thought Loudoun graduates were the equivalent of Rhodes scholars - so I was poking a li'l fun at that :) But no, I do not think that "all" students there are in gangs, although we do definitely have an increasing gang and drug problem at those schools that desperately needs to be addressed before it becomes violent.

Posted by Justthefacts (anonymous) on October 1, 2008 at 6:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Y'all been doing a lot of jawing, but reread this part of the article:
"capital expenses, including new schools, are much less flexible. Every year, the school system adds enough students to fill a high school, a middle school and an elementary school, and a slowdown in construction could rapidly lead to overcrowding. Enrollment in the county grew more than 14 percent from 2005 to 2007, making Loudoun the only system in the Washington suburbs with double-digit growth during that period."

When the county with the highest per capita family income in the nation does not create room in the school system for all the enrolled students, then we'll end up with the same overcrowding that has plagued Loudoun Valley HS while the lawyers on both sides just keep piling up the billable hours.

Instead of engaging in ad homonim attacks, let's look at what will happen to our children if we abandon them to overcrowding and fiscal neglect. Remember, they are OUR CHILDREN.

Posted by LoudounPatriot (anonymous) on October 2, 2008 at 10:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)

They can cut the budget by selling the hundreds of brand new LC owned vehicles I see coming out the Adminipalace in Broadlands. And they are being used for personal use, costco in chantilly is not a school or even in loudoun!

Posted by bschweiker (anonymous) on October 8, 2008 at 11:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Great article mate! I really think some changes are in order here. Starting with the spending. The government needs to stop bailing the stock market & every other Joe Blow company out there.

It is the middle class that need help & are suffering the most. I guarantee if the government instead of giving companies billions of dollars, give it to the middle & lower class out there that need it.

That would be a million dollars, for every american citizen in this country! I guarantee that that would bring an economic recovery. Then throw those responsible for the bad mortgages in prison.

There you go, economy problem resolved! Thank you.

Jonathon Pugsley
homebasedphilosphy@getresponse.com
www.marketingmergeonline.com

Posted by homebasedphilosphy (anonymous) on December 2, 2008 at 9:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)