If you don’t speak up, no one will listen.As of today, about 300 surveys have been completed. The Albemarle County Development Review Survey has been out since 18 September. It is a survey designed to give the special Task Force and thereby the Board of Supervisors (BoS) input into the development process and the efficiencies/inefficiencies inherent in the process. Note: It’s not a referendum on growth! I have received emails from the Sierra Club, Free Enterprise Forum, Piedmont Environmental Council (if I recall), and a couple of on-the-ball readers. Not to mention Albemarle’s excellent A-Mail program.Seriously, take the survey. With about 84,000 residents, probably 75% of whom have internet access (~65,000 people) 300 responses (0.46%) is mighty paltry. That’s a pretty meager response rate for a populace that professes great concerns about the growth process.
Browsing Category Politics
A few transportation bills
Regarding the current special transportation session and wondering how these part-time legislators are able to wade their way through this labyrinthian morass, I am picking and choosing a few bills of interest:SB 5016: Failed regarding the NoVa regional transportation taxthe grantors tax is raised from $0.20 per $100 of value to $0.30 per $100 of the value of the real estate being recorded, with an additional local option grantors tax at a rate of $0.10 per $100 of the value of the real estate. SB 5013: Failed authorizing local governments to impose a local grantor’s tax at the rate of 30 cents for each $100 of value with the revenues to be used for local or regional transportation projects; Regarding 5013 and 5016: imposing such a narrow tax from which everybody will benefit is simply wrong. The grantor’s tax taxes only the seller of real estate. Believe it or not, everybody who uses our transportation system does not sell property every year. Finding a broad-based, sustainable tax targeted solely for transportation and out of the hands of greedy politicians must be the primary goal.I was in a meeting last week and the following point was made – the state is not the one who is sending the unfunded mandate to maintain and build road to the localities, it is the localities who are sending the unfunded mandate to the state through their continued approvals of developments that lack the supporting infrastructure. I remain unsure as to how I feel about this argument, but it was the first time I had heard that argument made; therefore I am curious.HB 5096: Prohibits taking additional streets into the state secondary highway system on or after January 1, 2007, unless they are within an area subject to control by a homeowners’ association.Alas:The House Counties, Cities and Towns Committee decided to defer action on land use legislation championed by House Speaker William J…. The plan shall include quantifiable and achievable goals relating to congestion reduction and safety, transit and HOV usage, job/housing ratios, job and housing access to transit and pedestrian facilities, air quality, and/or per-capita vehicle miles traveled. The Board shall consider such goals in evaluating and selecting transportation improvements.Another layer of bureaucracy to ensure accountability.So far, 1.3% of proposed bills have been approved, after having been passed by both the House and the Senate.
Monday reading 09-25-2006
It’s far too easy to get a real estate license. This, from an Arizona point of view. Change the numbers a wee bit and the state to “Virginia” and I will just go ahead and say “ditto.”Ryan Homes pulls out of Old Trail…. I am still discerning what this means from a market point of view and second, my confidence in “the people” is heightened for some reason.I’ve said it before and I am sure that I will say it again – smaller, more efficient, smarter spaces are gaining traction. McMansions will be looked upon in the future with a sneer of derision.202 real estate blog posts in one day? They are nuts. Nuts I say!The Dinosaur speaks. Without resources such as Bacon’s Rebellion, many would never even know just who Sen. John Chichester is, and just how much influence he may have on our daily commutes.
Who will pay the property taxes
If private shopping centers are declared to be “public spaces”?Richard C. Collins argued yesterday that shopping centers have become public squares and asked a judge to overturn his trespassing conviction for distributing leaflets at a strip mall….The ACLU has contended that shopping centers have replaced traditional town centers, especially in the suburbs, as places where the public congregates and that public speech, including political campaigning, should be allowed at private shopping centers under the state’s constitution.Equally fascinating is how the ACLU and the Rutherford Institute have teamed up.I wrote about this last year here and here. Looking back, I hope my writing has improved since then. :)Cvillenews had at least two stories (with great comments) last year as well.
Friday links 09-21-2006
Americans are short-sighted and tend to spend what they have.What will replace the gas tax?Smart Transporation Investments Virginia Roads: the Fast and the Furious – the upcoming Virginia Special Transportation Session brings the rumors, conjecture and speculation out of the woodwork.Basically – read Bacon’s Rebellion.Learn about the bills here. I like the “most frequently accessed” option.Setting a maximum population for Albemarle. I know one way to start with the reduction of the population – they could lead the charge out of Albemarle by moving and/or not having kids. The debate will be interesting and enlightening, I hope, so long as vitriol does not take a front seat. All sides could probably learn something from each other.I really like Trulia – I really do…. But come on – A quick MLS search reveals that the average sales price in the past 3 months in Charlottesville (the City of) for a single-family three bedroom home is over $300k. At least they say this:Note: These market indicators are estimates based on properties currently for sale in Trulia’s database. Your real estate agent may have more accurate or complete data available.
Reflecting on the Convention.
Reflecting on the VAR Convention … I spent the past two and a half days at the Virginia Association of Realtors’ Convention learning (I graduate from the Leadership Academy on Friday morning) about the state of the Association. The first and most vexing observation is about politics – everything is about politics, isn’t it? The more I get involved, the more I am torn between continuing to get involved and withdrawing from it all together. Yet, expressing a voice for what is right will lead to more advances than will silence. So, involvement it shall be; until my disillusionment becomes overwhelming … More to come as time allows, but it is refreshing to hear that Realtors will be advocating for some solutions rather than merely fighting everything. Hint: impact fees may be involved.
Ah, Leadership
I thought about this when I read it, but Mayor Brown puts it most succinctly:And the irony that this luncheon was held in Glenmore – an affluent, gated community – must have been obvious to everyone present.From the DP:“Lots of poor kids are smart and need enrichment opportunities,†Ralston told the chamber’s annual Community Government Luncheon at Glenmore Country Club. Parents living in poverty “want the best for their kids but they don’t have the resources and they don’t have the opportunities,†she said.WINA and WCAV report as well. Hat tip to Waldo.Might as well lead from the top.