I just don’t like it. When the Republican Chair of Albemarle County’s Board of Supervisors, who has a history of siding with real estate interests, says that “that he had already been making personal calls in opposition to the bill,” something is amiss. Realtors were able to get increased Grantor’s Tax (which would have tripled the current tax) removed from the current iteration, but the bill still is flawed.
Either we want the state to control localities’ day-to-day operations or we don’t. The proffer system is flawed; in some localities proffers are in excess of $50k per unit – arguably too high but some, too low by others.
This bill will impact everybody in the state – homeowners, landowners, renters – by forcing (from what I have read) localities to seek other sources of revenue – read: property taxes – to make up the difference. This is exactly the type of bill that Realtors need to come out against, in my opinion, but politics is like the show Survivor; sometimes distasteful compromises are met with the expectation that the next round will require another allegiance.
We need growth for vitality – social and economic. This bill would, from the tea leaves I have strewn across my desk – help to shut down said growth.
I hate politics. Why can’t we all just get along?
Educate yourself on this bill at Richmond Sunlight. The bill has 10,230 words and was written at a grade level for those who graduated 18th and 19th grades (per Flesch-Kincaid).
Coincidentally, an Adequate Public Facilities bill shows up on the page as a “related bill.” No kidding.
On another note, I’d like to see the Virginia Association of Realtors PAC and lobbyists step into the blogosphere – most everyone else has. If you’re not adding to the direction of the conversation, the direction is being set without you.
Thank you for the update on this issue. I think people are learning the hard way that they really need to educate themselves on the issues and not just expect there party to make all the right decisions. We are only learning this all to well now.
I just started on the forums and blogs this last couple months open a whole new world. Your right everyone should participate.
It’s worth noting that NOVa and other localities have already vowed to deny all rezonings if this gets passed. Surely that’s not the desired outcome that anyone wants.
Take Action on this issue at….
http://citizen-networks.org/campaign/impactfeebill
Hey, it is related — anybody likely to be interested in one is likely to be interested in the other.
Regarding the relation – I’ll wager that the APF legislation is or will be one of the (un?)intended consequences.
I agree with you about the bill inhibiting growth. What do you think other options are? I find myself agreeing with the comments at the Richmond sunlight link that the current system is very close to legalized bribery and that the proposed system shifts responsibility away from developers and toward existing taxpayers. I don’t know what the right answer is though. At least (hopefully) someone is trying to fix a broken system.