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Stafford and Spotsylvania counties' football fields are well-lit on game nights. In Westmoreland County, the football and baseball teams share the same field.
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Westmoreland shows other counties the light

Date published: 6/8/2008

Letter-writer Charles Tuck used a lot of words to make the point, I guess, that somehow having a tax increase of two-tenths of one percent more than Stafford County somehow makes Spotsylvania worse off than Stafford ["Look closely: Spotsylvania taxes aren't low," May 20].

Is there a measurable difference?

I don't see the relevance of Spotsylvania's chart of tax rates along Interstate 95. Many have pointed out that Spotsylvania is not Northern Virginia, and no one considers it to be Richmond.

Similarly useless statistics along State Route 3 would turn up the fact that Westmoreland County approved a 13.6 percent tax increase.

Using Mr. Tuck's measure of "well-being," Spotsylvania is well off indeed.

Neither Mr. Tuck nor D.J. McGuire ["Spotsy tax increase is bad for the economy," May 14] offer anything but criticism--no suggestions about what programs they would have cut to avoid the tax increase. Something would have to give, but what?

Based on the logic of the University of Kentucky report Mr. McGuire quoted, Arlington, Fairfax, Prince William, and Loudoun counties are worthless. Try buying some of that worthless property.

Some time ago, I read some complaints about the condition of the soccer fields in Spotsylvania. We in Westmoreland have no such problems. You see, we have no soccer fields or football fields or baseball diamonds or tennis courts or basketball courts to worry about. We just don't build them.

Our high school football and baseball teams share the same field. No need for two.

By the way, Spotsylvania could save money by not turning on the playing-field lights at the school. It's not a problem for us because we have no lights. And you should see our bleachers.

Perhaps Mr. Tuck and Mr. McGuire would like to come on over to our cheap-tax county. It sounds like we already have the services and tax rate they are espousing. Leave the enlightened to take care of themselves.

Butch Foutz

Westmoreland



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Date published: 6/8/2008


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Good letter (posted by thelama , June 8, 2008 6:56 pm)   
Mr. Foutz is right - if Spotsy residents wanted to lower the tax rate to .56, then the Board would have to have cut funding for schools, public safety, education and pushed off bond projects that will only cost more the longer you wait. The majority of residents support these items, putting Tuc k and McGuire in the minority.

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