The Virginian-Pilot
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VIRGINIA BEACH
Real estate and car tax rates won't change, and the city will build a new animal shelter and Bayside recreation center under a final budget proposal released Tuesday.
The $1.9 billion one-year spending plan starting July 1 mirrors last year in its reliance on tapping reserves, including $8.8 million from the school division, $4 million from a farmland preservation program and $1 million from a recreation center renovation fund.
The proposed budget, which the council is scheduled to vote on next week, also eliminates 170 positions, almost half of which are vacant, and requires new city employees to pay 5 percent of their salaries toward their retirement benefits, a cost the city picks up now.
An $18.1 million loan repayment from the Southeastern Public Service Authority that the city received last week helped restore some proposed cuts and boost the city's fund balance. Thirteen of the 23 police positions targeted to be eliminated were restored, including seven mounted patrol positions. Some constitutional officers facing cuts got positions back. And libraries will remain open on Sundays.
A majority of City Council members expressed approval.
"While nobody gets everything they want, everybody gets a little of what they thought was important," said Vice Mayor Louis Jones, who crafted the budget changes along with Mayor Will Sessoms.
Because of falling property values, most homeowners will see their tax bills go down.
The average home price in Virginia Beach is $290,500. With a dip in assessments, the average homeowner will pay about $150 less in taxes than last year.
Animal advocates lauded the council for setting aside $11 million to build a new animal shelter. Scheduled to open next summer, the Birdneck Road building will replace the deteriorating facility on Leroy Drive that was the site of a deadly viral outbreak last year.
"We're exuberant," said Juliana Pontone, a member of the Friends of Virginia Beach Animal Control, a group that lobbied aggressively for a new building.
The budget includes $5.1 million for the Bayside recreation center this year and makes available in the following year's budget the remaining $19.5 million needed to build it. The city will either borrow that money or pay in cash, Jones said. It's targeted to open in the summer of 2013.
Council members Rita Sweet Bellitto and Bill DeSteph objected to the city using the $8.8 million from the school division's reserve fund. The loss of funds could affect class size in fiscal year 2011- 12, Bellitto said.
"We don't have a lot of choice," School Board Chairman Dan Edwards said. "They drive the bus. We've got to figure out how to adjust."
Sessoms said after two years of relying on reserve funds, the city will need a more sustainable approach to balancing the budget next year.
Aaron Applegate, (757) 222-5122, aaron.applegate@pilotonline.com
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Time for change
Looking at the election results from other cities, it looks to me like people want different leadership. Look at Randy Wright in Norfolk - he was ousted by a newcomer after 30 years in leadership. Other incumbents were voted out while others stayed. Virginia Beach's elections are November 2nd, but it is time we started thinking about our city's leadership now. Let's take a look at some of the newcomers that are running and give them a chance. http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/pages/Leo-Johnson-for-Virginia-Beach-City-Council/112921978739592 is one. Tanya Bullock is another newcomer to look for - she is working on a website now.
To see who is running for Virginia Beach City Council, go to www.vpap.org or contact the Virginia Beach Voter Registration for a list of candidates.
Mr. Barrett, why do you come
Mr. Barrett, why do you come on here and comment everytime the city wants to save money by reducing spending on roads, ect or spend money on raods or ect? I really would like to know.
Conservation and sustainment of assets
I certainly would not characterize my comments that way. After all, I supported the city manager's recommended cuts of $80,300,000 as a necessary reaction to the effects of the recession. On the other hand, as a developer and manager of real estate, I realize that irresponsible elected officials, like the Governor and the Delegates to the General Assembly, can make themselves look good by cutting taxes and failing to invest in maintenance of state infrastructure. I could do the same in my business, and it works for awhile, until the unfunded and undone maintenance reduces the value of the assets we are entrusted to maintain and improve. Frankly, I believe in stewardship, and when I see elected representatives fail to sustain the state or the city's balance sheet, I must comment. That is exactly what our Governor and state legislature have done, and in the long term, we will all pay much more to undo their failure to exercise conservation and sustainment.
yea, the democrat way
Blame someone else. Easy way out.
Instead, maybe the VB council should have understood that blindly approving any developer whim to build, build, build, would cause infrastructure and traffic problems.
But, as I was told by previous council in regard to town center, they were taking a "wait and see" approach to traffic issues.
Well VB council, we spend alot of time "waiting and seeing" around town center. YOur fault. Not the fault of the GA as developers want you to believe.
So, from the developers viewpoint, it is the GA's fault with all the congestion on VB city streets?
Roads!
I understand where Mike is coming from regarding the roads. Local politicians should hold the General Assembly's feet to the fire for not taking care of the roads. If they don't the problem will worsen. Although not very popular, the obvious quick solution is a gas tax. Tolls are the most expensive way to build roads. The bottom line is that city counsel has got to minimize expanson until there is a commitment on roads. Otherwise, the problem will come back to haunt us big time. Continually expanding the tax base without providing for infrastructure is in the public's best interest.
Wjat else in new!
Yes, this is a critical issue. I have reviewed the roads and bridges of the proposed capital budget and was pleased to see many projects going forward with city and/or federal funding, but the withdrawal of state funding has changed the program dramatically for the worse. Perhaps we will need to consider a local gas tax as authjorized in NoVa, but as a community, we have to have that discussion before we take on this responsibility. It really steams me to see the Delegates come back and boast they did not raise taxes when in fact they simply transferred costs for crucial functions to local government. What else is new!
Mike Barrett & his rejected YES Campaign
Mike knows we have already had that "conversation" - if fact, in 2002 we voted on his ill-concieved "YES Campaign" all across Tidewater - and in EVERY locality - Mike's regional tax plan for the business lobby's "6 projects" was REJECTED by voters. Mike knows we, the citizens of Tidewater, have already told Mike - and our elected representatives "No!" to a balkanizing regional tax scam to fund the state-owned port's $4B bridge tunnel being sought because the state-owned port wants to expand their operations. SB 668 in 2002 resulting in plenty of "conversation" about regional taxes. In 2007 HB 3202 resulted in a lot more "conversation". The people that keep telling Mike Barrett and his business lobby pals at the Hampton Roads Partnership, Future Hampton Roads, and the Chamber of Commerce "No!" are the residents and taxpayers. OUR representatives in the General Assembly heard us and acted accordingly. Democratic Party operative Mike Barrett just doesn't like the fact that his party isn't in power in Virginia.
Butt out
Way to butt in, Reid. We were having a civil conversation about local road building, and you try to change the subject. At the time of the Yes Campaign, the Commonwealth was still supporting local road improvements throught the urban allocation; at the Beach, that amount was some $30 M per year. Now, the Commonwealth provides zero, zilch, nada. The discussion was about whether we, the local taxpayers, should be forced to take up the State's obligations, and if so, how do we pay for it. So far, you have added nothing to this conversation. Of course, this is not a surprise to me at all. I guess you simply want local taxpayers to assume this obligation, which of course will mean the tax rate will need to go up. Once again, the VBTA shoots itself in the foot.
City Budget and School Budget
Here is what I do not understand. We have an elected city council and school board. Yet, the elected school board has to answer to the city council and not to those who elected them.
It is unfair to hold them responsible for a school budget that they have no final control. My position would be that the school board control those funds allocated to the system on a predetermined formula. The city council control those funds for city operations.
That way we know who to blame for problems with the school system and who to blame for city operations.
The only school divisions in
The only school divisions in the country that have control over their funding (and hence full control of their budgets) are those with taxing authority. My general perception is that many here would not be comfortable with school boards having such authority.