[00:00:01]
[I. Call to Order]
AFTERNOON AND WELCOME EVERYBODY TO THE SPECIAL MEETING.UH, THURSDAY 19TH AT ONE O'CLOCK OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, WE ARE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.
WE'RE HERE FOR A NEW BUSINESS OF LOOKING AT AN EMERGENCY ORDINANCE, BUT FIRST WE'RE GOING TO, AS WE ALWAYS DO FOR OUR MEETINGS, WE'RE GOING TO START WITH AN INVOCATION AND A PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
IF YOU'RE ABLE YOUR FATHER, GOD, WE JUST THANK YOU FOR TODAY.
WE THANK YOU FOR OUR COUNTY LORD.
WE THANK YOU FOR THE PUBLIC SAFETY THAT, UM, KEEPS US SAFE AND THE PEOPLE THAT HELP THIS COUNTY RUN GOD, OR I JUST INVITE YOU HERE RIGHT NOW, UH, TO BE IN THIS ROOM WITH US, TO GIVE US ALL THE WISDOM THAT WE NEED TO BE THE STEWARDS THAT YOU NEED US TO BE WITH THE FUNDS THAT YOU'VE PROVIDED THROUGH THE CITIZENS OF HOUSTON COUNTY.
LORD, WE KNOW THIS ISN'T OUR MONEY.
IT'S NOT EVEN THE COUNTY MONEY.
THIS IS YOUR MONEY THAT YOU'VE BEEN STOWED UPON US TO BE ABLE TO LIVE IN THIS GREAT COMMUNITY.
AND WE PRAY THAT YOU HELP US GUIDE US IN OUR DECISIONS IN THAT GOD AND YOUR SON'S NAME.
MR. WILKINS, I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
UH, I DON'T HAVE ANY COMMENTS AT THIS TIME.
IT SHOULD BE ENOUGH TO TALK ABOUT LATER, MR. ALVAREZ, ANYTHING FROM YOU.
UM, NOW I WILL OPEN UP FOR OUR CITIZEN COMMENT
[IV. Citizen Comment]
PERIOD.THIS IS A TIME FOR FOLKS TO COME AND SPEAK ON BUSINESS IN FRONT OF THE COUNTY.
UH, YOU COME UP TO THE MICROPHONE, PLEASE.
UH, GIVE US YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS, AND YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK AND A LIGHT.
WE'LL GIVE YOU A MINUTE WARNING AND THEN IT WILL TURN RED.
AFTER THREE MINUTES, WE ASK THAT YOU WRAP IT UP AT THAT TIME.
AND WHEN WE COME FORWARD, I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING NOW.
SO IS IT COMMON NOW? GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. CHAIRMAN, UH, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, UH, JONATHAN LAO, 1521 MANNEQUIN ROAD, UH, CHAIRMAN OF THE MONICA AND SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT.
UH, WE HAD OUR DIRECTORS MEETING MONDAY AND IT WAS SHARED WITH US THAT JOHN WOODBURN, WHO HAS BEEN OUR LIAISON IS GOING TO BE RETIRING.
HE WAS GOING TO DO SO BEFORE OUR NEXT MEETING.
AND I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO JUST THANK YOU.
AND IF YOU WERE HERE, I WOULD TURN AROUND AND BREAK THE RULES AND LOOK AT HIM, BUT HE'S NOT, UH, FOR, FOR THE LIAISON INTERACTION THAT HE HAS PROVIDED.
UH, IT REALLY HAS HELPED US, I BELIEVE, UH, WORK CLOSELY MORE CLOSELY WITH THE COUNTY ON SOME OF THE CONSERVATION, UH, MISSIONS THAT WE HAVE AS A DISTRICT.
JOHN HAS BEEN JUST A WONDERFUL SOURCE RESOURCE FOR US.
UH, HE'S GIVEN US POINTERS AND MAYBE ONCE AND TWICE AS EVEN HOW PERSONALIZED THIS KEPT ME FROM STEPPING IN MY MESS BY SAYING WHAT JONATHAN, YOU MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER THIS.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT BY HAVING STAFF AS A LIAISON, UH, WE ARE REQUIRED TO REQUEST ONE.
YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED TO PROVIDE ONE.
SO THE FACT THAT YOU DO IS, IS VERY MUCH APPRECIATED.
AND SPECIFICALLY MR. WOODBURN, HE, UH, HAS REALLY DONE A GREAT JOB.
WE'RE GOING TO MISS HIM AND I'M GOING TO SEE IF I CAN'T FIND HIM A FARM USE LICENSE PLATE THAT HE CAN USE IN RETIREMENT.
COULD YOU PLEASE GIVE US YOUR ADDRESS? MY CAR, MS.
UM, I FEEL THAT, WELL, I INCREASED IN MY ASSESSMENT OF MY CAR FROM 25,150 FROM LAST YEAR TO 32,175.
THIS YEAR IS BEEN, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T BELIEVE IT.
THEY HAVEN'T MORE FOR MY CAR TWO YEARS OLD THAN I DID WHAT I PAID FOR.
UH, I FEEL THAT THE OTHER COUNTIES HAVE REDUCED THEIRS.
[00:05:01]
HENRICO HAS REDUCED THEIRS FROM THREE 50 TO 3 98, WHERE LOUISA COUNTY, THEY DON'T HAVE TO REDUCE THEIRS BECAUSE THEY REDUCE THEIRS TWO TO 43, 2 48 PER A HUNDRED.I FEEL THAT YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, YOUR TAX PERSONAL TAX IS HURTING US A LOT.
AND AS A WIDOWER, I'VE BEEN HIT WITH TAXES FOR LIFE INSURANCE AND THINGS THAT YOU WOULDN'T THINK OF.
SO I FEEL THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN REDUCE THAT BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE MUCH MORE INCOME THIS YEAR, AND I FEEL YOU SHOULD REDUCE IT AT LEAST 10% OF WHAT IT WAS 3 75, A HUNDRED, AT LEAST 10% OF THAT.
AND YOU STILL WILL HAVE THE INCOME.
I KNOW TAXES ON HOMES ARE CHEAPER HERE IN GOOCHLAND, BUT I FEEL THAT, YOU KNOW, THE PERSONAL TAX HAS REALLY HIT NUTS.
I HAVE PAID ON THIS CAR READY WITHOUT THIS YEARS, $1,394 AND 50 CENTS, JUST PERSONAL TAX TO GOOCHLAND COUNTY.
IF I HAD IT TO, YOU KNOW, IT'S GOING TO BE ABOUT 2000, 2200 AROUND THAT WITH THIS, IT'S GOING TO COST ME $981 AND 56 CENTS THIS YEAR FOR THE INSURANCE.
AND I FEEL IF YOU DELAY SAY TO PAYMENTS, IT'S NOT GOING TO HELP THE MOST PEOPLE BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PAY IT IN DECEMBER.
SO I FEEL IF YOU'RE REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE COUNTY, I ALWAYS, SINCE I LIVED HERE 23 YEARS, I ALWAYS FELT YOU WOULDN'T VERY FAIR, BUT THIS YEAR IT'S.
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME COME UP HERE TODAY.
BUT AS THE OLD SAYING IS TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION IS NOT WHAT AMERICA IS.
THANK YOU FOR COMING TO SPEAK TO US TODAY.
I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO COME FORWARD, IF NOT IN THE CLOSEST CITIZEN COMMENT, OKAY.
CITIZEN KIND OF PERIOD IS NOW CLOSE AND NOW WE WILL MOVE INTO NEW BUSINESS.
[V. New Business]
WE'RE HERE TODAY, AND BEFORE I TURN IT OVER TO MR. ALVAREZ, UH, I'D SAY A COUPLE OF THINGS, YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T REALLY PREPARE ANYTHING.UM, SO THIS IS JUST GOING TO BE OFF THE CUFF, EXCEPT FOR THE FACT THAT I GOOGLED IT.
I STARTED THIS JOB 868 DAYS AGO.
AND, UM, NOT A DAY HAS GONE BY THAT SOMETHING EXPECTED HAPPENED.
UM, EVERY DAY IT SEEMS LIKE SOMETHING UNEXPECTED, WHETHER IT BE, UH, A HORRIBLE STORM THAT HITS IN JANUARY, A PANDEMIC, UH, COUNTY ADMINISTRATORS COMING AND GOING A LOT HAS GONE ON IN THIS COUNTY SINCE I STARTED.
AND YET I STILL LOVE THIS JOB.
I STILL LOVE BEING UP HERE AND REPRESENTING ALL OF YOU TAKING THE PHONE CALLS.
UH, I ACTUALLY HAD TO GET OFF THE PHONE AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR TO GET DRESSED, TO COME HERE TODAY.
UM, AND I APPRECIATED THE CONVERSATION.
BEING ABLE TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION BECAUSE WHEN WE HAVE THE CONVERSATION, WE'RE ABLE TO GO DEEPER THAN THE SOUND BITES YOU MAY BE HEARING ON TV.
YOU MAY, YOU YOU'RE ABLE TO REALLY UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE'RE, WHAT WE'RE REALLY WRESTLING WITH.
UM, THIS BOARD, UH, BEFORE I GOT ON IT, I TRY TO LEARN AS MUCH ABOUT IT AS POSSIBLE.
AND I'VE, I HAVE NOT SEEN A DECISION AND I'VE, I'VE WATCHED EVERY MEETING THAT HAS EVER BEEN POSTED FROM THIS BOARD.
AND I'VE, I'VE, I'VE NEVER SEEN A DECISION THAT HAS BEEN MADE THAT HASN'T BEEN A FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE DECISION.
I HAVEN'T SEEN A DECISION THAT HAS BEEN MADE LIGHTHEARTEDLY OR WITHOUT A LOT OF THOUGHT.
AND WHEN WE DID OUR TWO BY TWOS THIS WEEK, AND I, YOU KNOW, IT'S, UH, IT'S A SATURDAY NIGHT AND I'M CATCHING UP ON EMAIL CAUSE I WAS OUT OF TOWN FOR TWO WEEKS AND THE STAFF IS EMAILING ME BACK.
IT JUST GOES TO CONTINUE TO PROVE
[00:10:01]
HOW HARD WE DO WORK.WE'RE NOT LOOKING FOR GLORY, WE'RE LOOKING FOR IT.
BUT I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THESE UNPRECEDENTED TIMES, ARE YOU, WHEN I, WHEN I CAMPAIGN PEOPLE WOULD ASK ME ALL THE TIME, WELL, YOU KNOW, ARE YOU A REPUBLICAN OR A DEMOCRAT? AND I WOULD, I WOULD SAY, WHAT DOES IT MATTER? IT'S LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT, WELL, NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RACE ISSUES.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT GUN ISSUES.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE ON THE NATIONAL LEVEL.
NOW, NOW WE'RE BEING IMPACTED BY NATIONAL POLICY THAT ARE DRIVING VEHICLE COSTS.
IF YOU WOULD'VE TOLD ME FOUR YEARS, THREE YEARS AGO, WHEN I THOUGHT ABOUT DOING THIS JOB, THAT I'D HAVE TO SIT IN A ROOM WHERE PEOPLE ARE TELLING ME THAT THEY'RE WHEN THEY'RE DRIVING THEIR CAR OFF THE LOT THEY'RE GOING TO GO UP IN VALUE.
I TELL YOU YOU ARE NUTS AND THAT IT WOULD NEVER HAPPEN.
MY, I, I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD SAY IT.
I WAS FORTUNATE THAT I TOTALED MY $16,000 EXPLORER IN JANUARY BECAUSE I JUST PUT THAT MONEY IN THE BANK AND BOUGHT A $2,000 RIDICULOUS VEHICLE.
IF YOU'RE ON THE PARKING LOT, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN GUESS WHICH ONE IS MINE.
UM, BUT I CAN'T, I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT THE PRICE OF THAT WOULD COME IN BECAUSE THE SAME DEALER THAT TOTAL, THAT ACTUALLY OFFERED TO BUY IT FROM ME TWO MONTHS PRIOR, ISN'T INTERESTING FOR THE SAME PRICE THAT I BOUGHT IT FOR THREE YEARS EARLIER.
UM, WE GET TO TALK ABOUT THE FACT THAT A COUNTY JUST THIS WEEK WAS SO THRILLED THAT THEY WERE GOING TO DO AWAY WITH THE VEHICLE TAX, UH, THE $35 TAX WHILE WE DID AWAY WITH THAT A LONG TIME AGO.
UM, WE DO HAVE THE LOWEST, UH, HO RATES AROUND FOR OUR, OUR, OUR, UH, OUR PROPERTY, OUR REAL ESTATE TAXES.
AND WE WE'VE HELD THAT TRUE FOR THROUGH EVERYTHING THROUGH THE PANDEMIC, THROUGH THE RECESSION, WE'VE HELD THAT RATE AND WE'VE BEEN RESPONSIBLE WITH EVERYTHING WE DO.
AND IN, AT THIS, WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT THIS LIGHTLY AT ALL.
AND WE, WE UNDERSTAND THAT IT IMPACTS EVERYBODY.
IT IMPACTS, IT IMPACTS MY LIFE.
AND SO IT'S NOT, IT IS NOT, UH, LIGHTLY THAT WE MAKE THESE DECISIONS AND WE TRY VERY HARD TO LOOK FORWARD.
UM, YOU DON'T SEE OUR BILLS ON A REGULAR BASIS.
YOU DON'T SEE WHAT A COST TO FUEL OUR CRUISERS, OUR FIRE TRUCKS.
YOU DON'T SEE THE INVOICES OF TRUCKS THAT WE'VE ORDERED, UH, EQUIPMENT THAT WE'VE ORDERED GOING UP 30 AND 40%.
YOU'LL SEE, CAUSE YOU DON'T, WE'RE HERE TO SEE IT FOR YOU.
AND WE'RE HERE TO WATCH THOSE THINGS.
SO WHILE WE HAVE YOU AND TRUSTED US, AND WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO EARN YOUR TRUST FOR THIS, AND WE ARE, WE ARE DOING OUR FARE BEST TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE, I WATCHED A BOARD LAST NIGHT, DECIDE TO DO AWAY WITH THEIR RESERVES.
THEY DECIDED TO MOVE THEIR RESERVES INTO THE GENERAL FUND AND THINK IT WAS A GOOD IDEA.
MR. PETERSON WAS NOT IN THAT MEETING.
I'M SURE HE WOULD HAVE CONVINCED THEM.
OTHERWISE WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN NOT JUST TO SKIP THROUGH THIS YEAR, BUT THIS IS A THREE, FOUR YEAR PROBLEM IF NOT LONGER.
UM, SO PLEASE JUST KNOW THAT THE DECISIONS WE'RE MAKING ARE AFTER A LOT OF THOUGHT, WE'RE TRYING TO, WE'RE IMPLORING THE LORD FOR WISDOM IN THIS STUFF.
AND, UM, WE APPRECIATE YOUR TRUST AND WE APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS I'VE GOTTEN.
LIKE I SAID, I'M GETTING CALLS EVERY DAY AND I LISTEN TO EVERYONE AND I HEAR, AND I UNDERSTAND, UM, AND WE DO HAVE RESOURCES AVAILABLE.
WE'VE GOT A GREAT TREASURER WHO WILL WORK WITH FOLKS.
UM, AND WE ARE DOING THE BEST THAT WE CAN NOT JUST FOR TODAY, BUT TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE SUCCESSFUL IN THE FUTURE.
MR. ALVAREZ, WILL YOU TALK ABOUT THE, YEP.
SO IF WE WANT TO MOVE INTO THAT ITEM, WHAT, UH, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO ADD, AND I THINK YOU'VE COVERED A LOT OF, UH, WHAT I HAD ON MY, ALL MY POINTS HERE, BUT, UM, WE KNEW, UH, WHEN WE STARTED PREPARING THE BUDGET, UH, WORKING WITH THE COMMISSIONER OF REVENUE THAT THE CAR PRICES WERE UP.
AND SO ACTUALLY WHEN I PRESENTED THE BUDGET TO THE BOARD IN FEBRUARY, WE PROPOSED A DROP IN OUR RATE FROM 3 95 THROUGH TO 3 85.
BY THE TIME WE PRESENTED THE PROJECT FOR FINAL APPROVAL TO THE BOARD, UH, IN APRIL, UH, WE HAD, UH, WORKED WITH THE BOARD AND RECOMMENDED THAT WE GO TO 3 75 BECAUSE WE KNEW THE PRICES WERE GOING TO BE EVEN HIGHER THAN WE EXPECTED EARLY ON.
THIS IS NOT A ONE TIME CHANGE.
A FUTURE BOARD CAN CHANGE IT, BUT UNLIKE, ONLY MCCARTY SAID, I'VE DROPPED IT ONLY FOR THIS YEAR.
THIS IS KIND OF A, AS PERMANENT AS YOU CAN HAVE A DROP, THE BOY WOULD HAVE TO VOTE IN THE F IN THE FUTURE TO INCREASE THE TAX RATE.
WE KNOW IT WASN'T ENOUGH, UM, BASED ON WHAT WE'VE SEEN, WHERE THE PRICES CAME IN.
BUT, UH, UM, MR SPOONER'S POINT, WE DON'T SET THE USED PRICES.
OUR COMMISSIONER OF REVENUE AND THE VIRGINIA CONSTITUTION REQUIRES A TAX ASSESSMENT BE BASED ON FAIR MARKET VALUE.
[00:15:01]
UM, BY STATE LAW, THE COST IS MORE, YOU MUST USE A RECOGNIZED PRICING GUIDE TO EVALUATE CARS.A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK IT'S KELLY BLUE BOOK.
IT IS NOT THE RECOGNIZED A PRICING GUIDE BY THE VIRGINIA COMMISSIONERS OF REVENUE ASSOCIATION.
UM, IT'S THE JD POWERS OFFICIAL USE CAR GUIDE EASTERN EDITION.
THAT'S WHAT ALL THE COMMISSIONERS OF REVENUE USE IN THE, IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA.
ALSO A FEW YEARS AGO, GOOCHLAND COUNTY, I MEAN, UM, UH, UH, CRUCIAL AND ELIMINATED AS MR. SPOONER MENTIONED THE VEHICLE FEE THAT WAS PAID, THE PAYMENT THAT WE MADE FOR THAT STICKER.
THEY USED TO GO ON THE WINDSHIELD.
WE ELIMINATED IT A FEW YEARS AGO FOR US.
I THINK THERE WAS LIKE A $35 CHANGE AT THE TIME.
MOST OF THE COLLEGES AROUND US CHARGED $40, SOME LOCALITIES, I THINK JUST TO FEEL CUT IN, IN HALF FOR THIS YEAR BECAUSE OF THE OTHER COSTS, BUT NOBODY HAS ELIMINATED IT LIKE WE DID, AND THAT'S PER VEHICLE THAT'S PER VEHICLE.
SO WE ALSO HAVE GET HIGH MILEAGE PROGRAM THAT THE COMMISSIONER OF REVENUE MANAGERS, IF YOU HAVE A CAR THAT HAS HIGH MILEAGE, YOU CAN FOLLOW AN APPLICATION WHERE THE COMMISSIONER OF REVENUE AND THERE WILL DISCOUNTED COST TO YOUR CAR OR THE VALUE OF YOUR CAR.
UH, BUT VERY IN PERCENTAGES, DEPENDING ON THE MILEAGE.
NORMALLY THE APPLICATION FOR THAT IS IN MARCH.
OUR COMMISSIONERS AGREED TO EXTEND THAT DATE TO ANYONE WHO COMES TO HER OFFICE AND SAYS EITHER VEHICLE THAT EXCEEDS THE MILEAGE LIMITS, AND SHE WILL WORK WITH YOU TO PROVIDE A DISCOUNT.
SOME OF YOU HAVE BEEN AROUND LONG ENOUGH, LIKE I HAVE TO REMEMBER WHEN, UH, GOVERNOR JIM GILMORE RAN FOR OFFICE AND PROMISE TO CUT THE CAR TAX THAT DIDN'T WORK OUT TOO WELL BECAUSE EVERY YEAR THE COST WAS GETTING HIGHER AND HIGHER.
I BELIEVE THAT WAS 1998 IN 2006, THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY DECIDED TO SET THE RATE, A PERMANENT RATE THAT WOULD BE PROVIDED TO THE LOCALITIES.
I THINK IT'S IN THE $980,000 RANGE.
SO GOOCHLAND COUNTY GETS THE SAME AMOUNT EVERY YEAR AND HAS BEEN DOING SO FOR MANY YEARS, THAT AMOUNT IS SUPPOSED TO BE SPREAD TO PAY, UH, OR TO COVER 30% OF THE TAXES FOR A CAR UP TO $20,000.
THIS YEAR, WE CHOSE OBVIOUSLY AS THE NUMBER OF CARS IN THE LOCALITY INCREASES AS POPULATION HAS INCREASED IN GROESCHEL OVER THE YEARS AND HUNDREDS, IF NOT THOUSANDS OF CARS COME INTO THE COUNTY EVERY YEAR, THAT AMOUNT PER CAR IS REDUCED, WE DECIDED THIS YEAR TO KEEP IT AT 30%.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER COST THAT WE INCURRED.
AND I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MUCH IT IS BECAUSE IT'S A COMPLICATED FORMULA, BUT BASICALLY WE PAID MORE OR WE ATE MORE OF THE TAX REVENUE, UM, THAT TO PROVIDE A GREATER RELIEF TO CITIZENS.
UM, AND THEN SO TODAY, UH, WE ARE RIPPING MEETING OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS TO FIGURE OUT IF WHAT IS OUR SURPLUS, HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE GIVE BACK ANY OF IT? IT'S NOT AN EASY THING WITH OUR SYSTEM.
THERE'S MANY VARIABLES, EVEN WITHIN THE VEHICLES IN THE COUNTY.
UM, HENRICO TOOK A SIMPLE APPROACH AND SAID ONLY PERSONAL PERSONAL VEHICLES.
WHEN WE REDUCED OUR TAX RATE TO 3 75, WE REDUCED IT, NOT JUST FOR PERSONAL VEHICLES, BUT, UM, SMALL BUSINESS VEHICLES, TRUCKS, EVERYTHING, BOATS RVS.
SO THIS STEP TODAY IS BECAUSE WE'VE HEARD THAT PEOPLE NEED A LITTLE MORE TIME TO MAKE THEIR PAYMENT.
SO WE'RE GOING TO VOTE ON THAT.
AND THEN OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, OUR ADMINISTRATION OR TREASURER, OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR, DEPUTY ADMINISTRATORS, WILL BE WORKING WITH THE BOARD TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY OTHER RELIEF.
UH, WE CAN PROVIDE, UM, AS FOR, UM, LARISSA COUNTY REDUCING THEIR PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX.
AGAIN, THEY DID THAT, UH, A LITTLE LOWER THAN OURS, BUT WE LOW IT OURS PERMANENTLY AS WELL.
SO WE, WE ACTUALLY PROACTIVELY DID THAT.
UM, KNOWING THAT IT WAS COMING, WE JUST DIDN'T EXPECT IT TO BE AS LARGE AS IT HAS.
AND OUR BOARD HAS BEEN VERY, VERY FLEXIBLE.
AND AS I SAID OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, WE'LL BE LOOKING AT, UH, WHAT, IF ANYTHING, WE CAN DO, UM, TO PROVIDE A LITTLE MORE RELIEF TO CITIZENS.
THAT'S ALL I HAD MR. CHAIRMAN.
ONE THING I'D LIKE TO ADD MR. ALVAREZ IS ONE
[00:20:01]
OF THE THINGS THAT'S INTERESTING AND FRUSTRATING BEING IN OUR POSITION AT A LOCAL LEVEL IS THAT WE ARE CONTROLLED BY WHAT THE STATE SAYS WE CAN AND CAN'T DO.SO THERE ARE A LOT OF CREASE CREATIVE SOLUTIONS THAT WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT THAT, UH, OUR COUNTY ATTORNEY HAS INFORMED US GO AGAINST STATE CODE.
SO I HAVE BEEN IN PERSONAL CONTACT WITH DELEGATE LEE, WHERE, AND WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT AND RAISING UP THOSE ISSUES TO, TO HELP US TO DO THE RIGHT THINGS.
SO NOT ONLY ARE WE WORKING AT THE LOCAL LEVEL TO LOOK FOR SOLUTIONS, WE ARE LOOKING FOR THE STATE TO HELP US WITH POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS.
UM, WHEN WE, WHEN WE COME UP WITH THOSE, SO, AND DELEGATE, UH, WHERE HAS BEEN A HUGE PROPONENT AND ADVOCATE FOR GOOCHLAND AND IS VERY ENGAGED IN THE CONVERSATION, UH, BOARD, ANY, UM, COMMENTS OR MOTION, MR. CHAIR, IF YOU DON'T MIND, PLEASE COMMENT OR TWO.
UM, WE HEARD, UH, FROM ONE CITIZEN TODAY OR COMMENTS, SHE'S NOT ALONE.
THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT WE'VE RECEIVED THE SAME SIMILAR COMMENTS.
AND TO PUT THIS INTO A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT, I MEAN, WE, I, I SHARE WITH SOME FOLKS, YOU KNOW, VEHICLE MAY HAVE GONE UP 20%.
WE DIDN'T, WE'VE GOT TO WEIGHT UP, WE'VE GOT TO MANAGE OUR BUDGET TO MEET OUR EXPENSES AND OUR, WITHOUT THE LEVEL OF SERVICE DECLINING ON, ON THE COUNTY SERVICES.
BUT LET ME JUST TALK FOR A SECOND.
UM, A LOT OF THE INCREASE IN USED IS BECAUSE OF THE SCARCITY OF NEW, THERE'S JUST NOT ENOUGH NEW VEHICLES AROUND.
SO YOU'VE GOT A BIDDING WAR GOING ON FOR USED VEHICLES, AND THAT'S DRIVEN UP THE MARKET PRICE OF THESE USED VEHICLES.
ONCE THERE'S AN AMPLE SUPPLY OF NEW, OBVIOUSLY THERE'LL BE LESS PRESSURE ON UPWARD PRESSURE ON THE PRICES OF USED.
DON'T KNOW WHEN THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
IT COULD BE THIS YEAR, NEXT YEAR OR THE YEAR AFTER, BUT EVENTUALLY THERE'LL BE AN AMPLE SUPPLY OF NEW.
AND THEN PEOPLE WOULD PREFER A NEW OVER A USED AGAIN, AND THOSE PRICES WILL AMELIORATE.
UM, BUT HAVING SAID THAT HISTORICALLY THE VALUE OF HER HOME HAS BEEN RELATIVELY STABLE.
A COUPLE OF PERCENT UP COUPLE OF PERCENT DOWN HISTORICALLY, IT'S BEEN RELATIVELY STABLE IN VEHICLE PRICES HAVE DEPRECIATED ALONG A REASONABLY PREDICTABLE PATH.
LEASING COMPANIES WILL GO OUT AND LISA YOU A VEHICLE AND THEY'LL DO ESTABLISH A RESIDUAL VALUE THREE OR FOUR OR FIVE YEARS OUT AND SAY, THIS IS WHAT WE THINK IT'S GOING TO BE WORTH.
AND THEY'RE REASONABLY ACCURATE ON THAT BECAUSE THE DECLINE HAS BEEN RELATIVELY PREDICTABLE AND RELATIVELY STABLE INFLATION HAS COME ALONG AND UPSET ALL OF THAT.
AND WHAT WE'VE SEEN IS A ONCE IN 40 YEAR INFLATION, WHICH IS RUNNING KIND OF OUT OF CONTROL AT THIS POINT, AND IT HASN'T HAPPENED LIKE THIS IN 40 YEARS NOW, WHAT THAT HAS DONE IT HAS HAD IMPLICATIONS IN HOW WE RAISE FUNDS IN THE COUNTY TO MEET THE COUNTY SERVICES.
AND WHAT WE'VE SEEN IS EXTREME VOLATILITY, 40 YEAR VOLATILITY IN THE PRICE OF A HOUSE AND THE PRICE OF CARS, BOTH NEW AND USED.
AND WHAT WE'VE SEEN AS THE PRICE OF USED CARS IN THIS SCENARIO UP 20, 30, 40% IS MUCH MORE VOLATILE THAN THE PRICE OF YOUR REAL ESTATE, WHICH MAY BE UP 10 OR 11%.
SO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS A LITTLE MORE VOLATILITY ON THE PERSONAL PROPERTY SIDE, EVEN IN THIS ENVIRONMENT, ONCE IN 40 YEARS, WHERE THERE'S EXTREME VOLATILITY ON THE, ON THE PRICE OF YOUR HOME, IT'S EVEN MORE PRONOUNCED ON THE OTHER SIDE.
THAT'S NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE, NOT IN THE 40 YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN AROUND FOCUSING ON THIS.
SO WHAT THAT INDICATES IS THAT WE SHOULD MAYBE TAKE A LOOK AT HOW WE RAISE FUNDS FOR THE COUNTY IN THE CONTEXT OF OUR FUTURE BUDGET SESSIONS AND SAY, OKAY, IS THE, SHOULD WE REVISE OR REVISIT OUR TAX POLICIES IN TERMS OF HOW WE RAISE THE RESOURCES TO MEET THE COUNTY'S NEEDS? UH, AGAIN, THIS IS A ONCE IN A 40 YEAR AND IT'S KIND OF HIGHLIGHTED AND EXPOSED A FEW THINGS, UM, THE WAY, THE WAY OUR TAX POLICIES WORK.
AND IT'S IT BEARS REVISITING AT SOME POINT.
SO MY GUESS IS AT SOME POINT, USE PRICES WILL SETTLE BACK DOWN.
ONCE NEW SUPPLIERS IS AVAILABLE, BUT ALSO IT CALLS INTO QUESTION FOR FOLKS THAT MAY NOT EVEN BE ABLE TO AFFORD A HOME, BUT CAN'T AFFORD A CAR.
AND THEN YOU'VE GOT MORE VOLATILITY ON THAT SIDE OF THE PERSONAL PROPERTY SIDE THAT MAY BE HURTING THE MOST VULNERABLE BECAUSE INFLATION IS A HORRIBLE THING.
IT IS JUST, IT IS DEVASTATING, ESPECIALLY TO THE FOLKS THAT ARE LIVING AT THE MARGIN BECAUSE THEY'RE THE ONES THAT CAN LEAST AFFORD IT.
IT'S KIND OF A REGRESSIVE TAX.
SO WE THEN AS STEWARDS OF THE COUNTIES SHOULD, UH, RESOURCES SHOULD TAKE A LOOK AT THIS AND REVISIT THIS IN THE CONTEXT OF FUTURE BOARD, UH, BUDGET SESSIONS TO DETERMINE IF WE'VE GOT THE APPROPRIATE METHOD OF COLLECTING RESERVES.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S MY FATHER, MR. CHANNEL, YOU BACK, MR. CHAIRMAN IS, YOU KNOW, UH, WITH THE EMERGENCY ACTION.
THE PACKAGE IS WENT OUT YESTERDAY.
I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU JUST WOULD LIKE BE TO AT LEAST SUMMARIZE WHAT IS BEFORE THE BOARD TODAY.
CAUSE NOT EVERYBODY MIGHT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO READ, MAYBE
[00:25:01]
PACKED ONTO THEIR COMMENTS.THANKS MR. MARCUS, THEN I WILL.
WELL, MR. WILKINS, THE ONLY OTHER THING I WANT TO SAY, I THINK IS IMPORTANT.
I'M GOING TO SPEAK FOR MYSELF NOW, NOT FOR THE REST OF THE BOARD, THE CONVERSATIONS I'VE HAD WITH S WITH MOST CITIZENS, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE THOSE CITIZENS THAT ARE, ARE REALLY JUST THEY'RE FLAT, STRUGGLING TO ACTUALLY PAY THE BILL.
UM, THAT HAS BEEN THE MINORITY.
THANKFULLY, UH, THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE CALLED ME THOUGH HAVE SAID, I GET IT.
I'VE ACTUALLY ALREADY PAID IT.
AND I PAID IT FOR THE FULL YEAR.
UM, WE'VE GOT SOME, I THINK THE NUMBER IS 35% OF FOLKS HAVE ALREADY PAID THE PROPERTY BILLS AND SENTIMENT.
AND WHILE THE MONEY IS CONCERNING, THAT'S NOT THEIR MAIN CONCERN.
AND I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT I'VE HEARD THAT THEIR MAIN CONCERN IS THAT WE'RE GOING INTO A BACK ROOM AND DOING IT, DOING A JIG BECAUSE WE GOT ALL THIS EXTRA MONEY THAT IS NOT THE CASE.
WE ARE NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS MONEY AND DO UP FRIVOLOUS PROJECTS OR SPEND IT UNWISELY.
OR WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT IT AS A WINDFALL.
I DON'T KNOW, EVER IN MY LIFE, I'VE LOOKED AT SEEING EXTRA REVENUE AS NOT NECESSARILY A BAD THING, BUT WHEN YOU'RE, WHEN YOU REALIZE IT'S TAKING DOLLARS OUT OF PEOPLE'S POCKETS, IT'S AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE.
AND WE BELIEVE THAT AND WE FEEL THAT THIS IS NOT OUR MONEY.
THIS WAS NOT A WINDFALL THAT WE GOT.
WE WILL BE GOOD STEWARDS WITH YOUR DOLLARS.
I WILL PERSONALLY ENSURE THAT I'VE BEEN THROUGH TWO BUDGETS THE FIRST YEAR, BECAUSE WE HAD A PRE COVID BUDGET AND A POST COVID BUDGET.
AND THEN WE JUST PASSED OUR SECOND TWO.
WE'VE DONE TWO MORE SO THAN FOUR BUDGETS IN TWO AND A HALF YEARS ON THIS BOARD.
AND, UM, THAT IS MY COMMITMENT THAT I WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE, WE ARE PROVIDING THE SERVICES TO LEVEL EXPECTED AND BEING GOOD STEWARDS WITH WHAT YOU HAVE ENTRUSTED US WITH.
OH, I'D SAY, SAY A FEW THINGS.
I CAN'T REALLY CAN'T ADD TOO MUCH TO THAT.
THANK YOU BOTH FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
I THINK YOU, YOU'RE REFLECTING THE FACT THAT ALL OF US ARE, ARE STRUGGLING WITH, WITH THIS, UH, ISSUE.
UM, AND I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE NOT LETTING YOU KNOW WHEN WE SEE OTHER COUNTIES, HENRICO AND OTHERS ADVERTISING CERTAIN THINGS.
THEY, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCING FROM THE ROOFTOPS WHEN WE LOWERED AT 20 CENTS.
NOW IT ENDS UP THAT THAT'S NOT ENOUGH, BUT, BUT I THINK THE POINT WAS WE ARE PROACTIVE.
WE SAW THIS COMING, WE'RE ENGAGED WITH IT.
UM, WHERE WE GO FROM HERE, UH, THE COMMENT HAS ALREADY BEEN MADE TODAY THAT WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, THE ACTION WE'RE LOOKING AT TODAY IS, IS NOT GOING TO HELP.
WELL, WE CERTAINLY HOPE IT'LL IT'LL HELP.
THE FOLKS THAT MR SPOONFLOWER WAS TALKING ABOUT THAT ARE GENUINELY HAVING SOME TROUBLE PAYING THE TAX BILL.
AND I WOULD REMIND, WE WORK CLOSELY WITH THE TREASURER AND THE TREASURER.
THERE ARE PROGRAMS FOR FOLKS, BUT THIS, THIS IS A, THIS IS A STEP.
UM, IT IS AN MR. ALVAREZ SAID THE SAME THING.
UM, I'VE GOTTEN THE EMAILS AND THE CONSISTENT COMPLAINT IS ABOUT THE VALUATION.
WELL, MR. ALVAREZ EXPLAINED IN DETAIL HOW THAT WORKS.
[5385: Emergency Ordinance to assist residents with real and personal property tax]
CAUTIOUS.AND I THINK IT KIND OF GOES TO MR. PETERSON'S POINT.
WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL CAUSE WE'RE THINGS ARE VOLATILE.
I DON'T THINK WE WANT OUR BUDGETING AND PLANNING TO TRY TO CHASE THAT AND BECOME VOLATILE AND IN AND OF ITSELF.
BUT CERTAINLY I'M NOT SURE WHAT WE SHOULD DO FROM HERE.
I'M NOT SURE WHETHER WE SHOULD DO ANYTHING FURTHER FROM HERE.
I'VE HEARD THE SAME THING THAT MR. SPOONER SAID, A LOT OF FOLKS ARE NOT HAPPY ABOUT IT, BUT THEY'VE PAID THE BILL.
UM, I THINK THIS TIME NEXT YEAR FOR HAVING THESE CRAZY PRICES, CONTINUING, I CAN'T IMAGINE THE BROADER IMPACT THAT'S GONNA HAVE THINGS ARE GOING TO BE UGLY ALL AROUND, BUT WE CERTAINLY WILL HAVE TO WE'LL HAVE TO ADDRESS IT IN A WAY THAT I'M NOT SURE YET, BUT I'M, I'M CAUTIOUS ABOUT CHASING BECAUSE WHEN MR. ALVAREZ, I WAS LISTENING TO HIM SPEAK, HE SAID, THIS WAS JUST IN APRIL.
WE WERE GOING FROM 3 95 TO 3 85 AND THE PROPOSED BUDGET IN APRIL, WE DROPPED IT ANOTHER 10 CENTS.
STILL, MAYBE THINKING, GOSH, IF THIS CONTINUES, THIS MAY NOT BE ENOUGH.
WELL, WHAT'S ENOUGH BECAUSE ON THE FLIP SIDE, AS HAS BEEN MENTIONED, WE HAVE COSTS THAT ARE GOING UP.
YOU ALL HAVE, IF YOU'VE BEEN PAYING ATTENTION TO US AND, AND THE SCHOOL BOARD BUILDING AND THE NEW SCHOOL, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S GOING FROM 39 MILLION TO OVER 50 MILLION.
SO AGAIN, THEN THAT'S THE QUESTION? WHAT ARE THE SERVICES WE NEED? WHAT DO WE DO NOW? WHAT DO WE NOT DO NOW? WHAT DO WE HOLD BACK? SO I THINK THERE'S A BROADER DISCUSSION THAT I HOPE THIS BOARD WILL ENGAGE IN.
UM, AND I KNOW WE WILL BECAUSE WE'RE ALL COMMITTED TO DOING WHAT'S BEST FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, AND SO I HOPE IF THIS PASSES TODAY THAT IT'LL PROVIDE SOME RELIEF TO FOLKS, I'M NOT GOING TO GO OUT AND SAY, YOU KNOW, LOOK AT WHAT WE'VE DONE.
UM, IT'S, IT'S JUST A STEP THAT I HOPE WILL WE'LL ADDRESS NEEDS IN CERTAIN QUARTERS.
[00:30:01]
AND, UH, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR COMMENTS AND THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME PILE ON.THANK YOU, MR. TOMPKINS, MS. MCGEE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO REVIEW, THANK YOU MR. CHAIRMAN, UM, BEFORE THE BOARD TODAY, UM, AND ON AN EMERGENCY BASIS BECAUSE THE BOARD'S NEXT, UH, REGULAR BOARD MEETING IS AFTER THE DEADLINE THAT'S ESTABLISHED FOR BOTH PERSONAL AND REAL ESTATE TAXES.
AND SO BEFORE THE BOARD FOR AN EMERGENCY TODAY IS TO ADOPT AN ORDINANCE THAT WOULD ASSIST, UH, RESIDENTS WHO ARE UNABLE TO PAY THAT REAL ESTATE AND PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES BY JUNE 6TH, IT DELAYS THE IMPOSITION OF, UM, ANY PENALTY OR INTEREST.
SO THAT TAX PAYMENTS COULD BE MADE UP THROUGH AUGUST 1ST WITH NO INCREASE, NO INTEREST, NO LATE FEE.
AND, UM, THAT ALSO THEN, BECAUSE WE'RE ADOPTING IT TODAY TO TRY AND GET IN BEFORE THAT DEADLINE.
AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE TO DO IT TODAY, EVEN WHILE YOU'RE STILL CONSIDERING OTHER ASPECTS OF THIS SITUATION.
AND THEN THE SECOND PART OF THE ITEM IS TO AUTHORIZE, UH, A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE REDUCTION OF THE ORDINANCE.
AND THAT'S JUST REQUIRED BY STATE LAW.
THE LAW RECOGNIZES THAT SOMETIMES THE BOARD HAS TO ACT QUICKLY IN A SITUATION.
AND SO THEY DO SO WITHOUT THAT FULL ADVERTISEMENT IN PUBLIC HEARING, BUT THEN THEY PROVIDE FOR THAT TO HAPPEN SHORTLY THEREAFTER.
AND SO WE HAVE ASKED THE BOARD IN THIS ITEM TO SCHEDULE THAT PUBLIC HEARING FOR JULY 5TH, BUT AT LEAST YOU WOULD, BY ACTING TODAY, THIS WOULD IMMEDIATELY COME INTO EFFECT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY IN GOOCHLAND KNOWS THAT IF YOU NEED SOME ADDITIONAL TIME TO PULL TOGETHER THE MONEY TO MAKE THAT PAYMENT, YOU ABSOLUTELY HAVE THAT TILL AUGUST 1ST, MR. CHAIRMAN, I MOVE THAT THE GOODSON COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ADOPTED THIS EMERGENCY ORDINANCE TO DELAY THE PENALTY AND INTEREST UNTIL AUGUST 1ST, 2022 ON BOTH REAL ESTATE AND PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES, WHICH ARE DUE ON JUNE 6TH, 2022, AND AUTHORIZE SETTING A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS EMERGENCY ORDINANCE FOR JULY 5TH, 2022.
THANK YOU, MR. JENKINS NEEDED A SECOND.
THANK YOU, MR. PETERSON, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? YEAH, JUST TO CLARIFY IN THE MOTION THAT IT MENTIONS, UH, DELAYING THE PENALTY AND INTEREST UNTIL AUGUST, WE'RE NOT DELAYING ANY PENALTY AND INTEREST IT'S DUE WHEN I HAVE TO LAY IN THE PAYMENT OF THOSE TO DELAY THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF WHEN THAT IMPOSITION JUST, I THINK THAT WILL CLARIFY DELAY THE IMPOSITION OR APPLICATION AND THE POSITION OF ANY PENALTY IF I, IF YOU'LL TAKE THAT FRIENDLY.
SO I'LL TAKE THE FRIENDLY AND IT'S IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE WAY IT'S ACTUALLY DRAFTED.
I JUST DIDN'T WANT THE VERBIAGE TO CONFUSE FOLKS.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION, MR. ALVAREZ? COULD YOU PLEASE DO A ROLL CALL VOTE, MS. LASCOLA.
UM, WE WILL ADJOURN OUR MEETING TO THE 1:00 PM
[VI. Adjournment: The Board of Supervisors will adjourn to Tuesday, June 7, 2022, as]
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.TRANSPORTATION WORKS SESSION, WHICH IS HERE IN THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATION BUILDING IN ROOM TWO 70 AND WE'LL FOLLOW A 2:00 PM BOARD OF SUPERVISOR MEETING, REGULAR MEETING AT 6:00 PM ON JUNE 7TH.
UM, THAT'S COMING UP PRETTY QUICKLY.
AND THANK YOU FOR THOSE THAT CAME OUT TODAY.