VIRGINIA BEACH
The City Council is poised to approve its fiscal 2009 budget tonight.
The spending plan the majority of council members agreed to last week includes no reduction in the real estate tax, no increase in the tax on pleasure boats and raises roughly 50 fees for city services.
If the council approves the plan, employees will get 2.5 percent raises. The budget proposed earlier this year by City Manager Jim Spore offered only 1.5 percent raises. Most sworn public safety officers will get a 1 percent raise, in exchange for a higher pension contribution they accepted last year.
Other highlights of the budget to be voted on include:
- The retention of the Consumer Affairs Program, which had been eliminated in Spore’s budget. The four-person office will cost $339,000 to operate for a year.
- The restoration of the budget for fire safety education and part-time fire inspectors. The programs cost nearly $380,000.
- The city paying $3.15 million for a proposed pedestrian bridge over Virginia Beach Boulevard. Debt for the bridge – which would link Town Center to Pembroke Mall – would be paid for by a newly created taxing district on the north side of the boulevard. The district would be created later this year. The bridge would only be built if the mall commits “to a major capital investment in its properties,” Vice Mayor Louis Jones said last week.
- The council is also expected to approve a $221.5 million capital budget.
- A public hearing on the budget is scheduled for 6 p.m. at city hall, 2401 Courthouse Drive.
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TIF ... get it right
A TIF is already in existence for the rest of TC, so no, it isn't giving out freebies to the developers because they are already paying higher taxes.
Making a new TIF to include the mall is GOOD because it currently is reaping the benefits of the Town Center and not paying for it. The city may be paying the $3 million right now, but the TIF will pay it off and then some.
The Town Center has been enormously successful; far more so than expected. Look at the financial impacts of spending the money versus not spending it. I'll take the spending of it thanks! Bring Light Rail to TC and the Ocean Front too, because then it would be easier to get around and cheaper than driving a car and gas!
So many people on this site look at one thing and not the other; look at the total picture of the cities investment in TC, then complain if you have something accurate and legitimate. Lastly, this bridge I agree might not be the best idea YET but eventually it will be needed; that would be if the mall developed land and became high rise as well. As for new, the temporary fix could be to increase the walking time, however I am sure you all would complain about that too. If you are that unhap
Town Ctr. Ped. Bridge
I agree with slow the speed to 25 (you want a downtown feel correct?)Also to lengthen the ped crossing light. As for hiring a fulltime police officer...possibly for the Town Ctr. unsafe pkg. garage maybe? Sounds like the "Smith's (Va. Beach) are trying to keep up with the Jones'(Norfolk)with the pedestrian crossover bridge idea!!
Bridge to Nowhere
If you're going to insist on building this overpriced bridge to nowhere, Mr. Spore, they tell me why the new taxing district to pay for it will only cover HALF of the area to be served by it? Why is the Town Center area south of the boulevard not included in this district? Are we again giving breaks to the developers? 3 million for a pedestrian bridge... What a bunch of idiots we have running our city. You can rest assured I will be one of many that will remember you all come November. It's just too bad we can't vote Spore out with them.
Priceless?
What is wrong with an intelligent, fiscally responsible solution for the crossing? Slow the speed to 25mph for three blocks, lengthen the crossing time, and possibly even add a police officer to the area full-time. Cost to the taxpayers for a safe crossing: at most $40,000 per year. Wow, you could have that officer out there for over 50 years with a salary adjusted up for inflation! Guess that makes too much sense for Tax-em-dorf.
New speed limits and signs, improved/increased crossing times at the Blvd at Town Center, and a full-time cop: maybe $50,000. Louis Jones' and Tax-em-dorf's pie-in-the-sky pedestrian bridge over Va Beach Blvd: $3.15 MILLION. An idea that makes sense coming from the public: PRICELESS!
However, we know City Council does NOT ever listen to the public unless we're throwing $$$ at them. Get your wallets ready again folks.
no walk way
IF the council approves the walk way from Town Center to Pembroke they are bigger idiots then I thought!!! 3 million can go toward other things our city NEEDS!!! So many people already agreed no walk way, just reduce the speed, if needed add police (they can give out tickets to speeders-city makes money)! Right now the schools are telling the teachers that they have NO money for them to make copies with copy machine unless they BUY their own PAPER!!! Maybe some of that money can go toward paper for the schools!!
Council is set up for failure
I see this budget as setting up city council for failure. When this passes and they start spending millions for the Dome site, convention center hotel and other projects, the voters are going to throw the bums out of office... There was so much more they could have done to cut spending, enhance services while consolidating departments and adding reliable user fees. Oh well, it is their problem now... 3.15 million for a bridge to nowhere indeed.