|
|
||
Stafford supervisors will try third time to tax businesses to fund road improvements Date published: 9/19/2007
BY KAFIA HOSH
Stafford supervisors are proposing a special tax on commercial properties to help pay for the widening of major highways at each end of the county. During their meeting yesterday, supervisors agreed to look at 10 cents per $100 of assessed value on commercial and industrial properties along State Route 610 in North Stafford and U.S. 17 in the southern end of the county. While this tax would be a separate bill, it would be mailed to property owners along with the real estate tax bill. The vote to set that rate for the Garrisonville Road district was unanimous. For the Warrenton Road tax district, the vote was 5-2, with Joe Brito and George Schwartz dissenting. Supervisors will hold a public hearing in the near future before voting on the tax increase. Planned improvements for Route 610, or Garrisonville Road, include widening it from four lanes to six lanes from Onville Road to Eustace Road, and adding a second turn-lane from 610 to Mine Road. Supervisors also want to build a pedestrian walkway connecting Mine Road to Stafford Market Place. The walkway will give customers better access to stores, which could help offset some of the tax burden on retailers, according to Aquia District Supervisor Paul Milde. "It's something you can give them, that's tangible, for their money." Garrisonville Road improvements are estimated at about $15 million, depending on which projects are selected. The 10-cent tax increase would generate about $510,000 per year. Over 20 years this would pay the debt service on $6.5 million. Supervisors said growing retail along Route 610 will mean more businesses paying taxes and more funds for road projects. Since 610 is predominantly used by county residents, "there's going to have to be some local investment in fixing our roads," said Garrisonville District Supervisor Mark Dudenhefer. Upgrades to U.S. 17, or Warrenton Road, include lane expansions and additional sidewalks. Improvements would cost an estimated $45 million. A 10-cent tax in this area would raise about $692,000 a year. Over 20 years, this would pay the debt service on about $8.85 million. Supervisors said the rate was appropriate since U.S. 17 is a federal highway used by thousands of out-of-town motorists. This is the board's third attempt to impose a levy against property owners in North Stafford. Attorney Richard Nageotte, who owns buildings and commercial properties along 610, successfully sued the county in 2001 and again in 2006 to block a tax district there. In the 2006 case, a circuit judge ruled that Virginia's service-district law excludes roads under the jurisdiction of the Virginia Department of Transportation. The General Assembly then clarified the statute, opening the door for Stafford to re-create the service districts in July. Last month, Nageotte filed another suit challenging both the North Stafford and U.S. 17 tax districts. He said taxing only commercial property owners is unfair. "If they want to raise funds for road improvements, they ought to tax everybody," he argued. "Everybody uses the roads, not just the businesses." Kafia Hosh: 540/735-1977 Email: khosh@freelancestar.com
A tax on the businesses will ultimately be paid by us, the consumer.
to tax the rich, anonymous business-owner. I think we see more money from the sales taxes on profitable and growing businesses. I just can't believe all of our BOS are on board with this idea. Next thing you know, they'll be begging the General Assembly to let us pay for repair and maintenance on ALL of our secondary roads--"please, please, oh, pretty please, let us take over our state roads and let us foot the bill, too."
Stafford BOS pass a BPOL tax and designate the proceeds to help with transportation. How much time, effort and money has already been spent in court proceedings trying to get these selective tax zones in the past. By allocating a BPOL tax, Stafford could collect additional revenue for transportation, education and recreational efforts. Wake up and see what is the next rational step! Business development proffers have already be used to offset these transportation and ecological impacts. Try BPOL tax!
closed the loophole on this statute--now THEY don't have to raise taxes to pay for maintenance and repairs on roads THEY are responsible for. Taxing businesses is a bad idea and they know it. They didn't even have to sucker us into it--we asked them to allow us to levy taxes so they don't have to. Why should local businesses be forced to "invest" (that's a new way to put it) in state roads?
So there's a little bit of traffic on our roads..government answer is to steal more money from the people to make roads bigger and better. Of course their supporters are in the road building business too...so...there's incentive. It never ocurrs to these dorks that we would rather decide ourselves how to spend our money. Tax a business more and they charge their customers more...they have to or they go bye bye.
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||
