The Virginian-Pilot
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VIRGINIA BEACH
The House of Representatives has approved a change that would allow the Army Corps of Engineers to accept $15 million from the city to replenish the beaches in Sandbridge.
The change, included by Rep. Scott Rigell, R-Va., in an energy- and water-development appropriations bill, still needs Senate approval.
"If a local community is willing and able to fund a project, and the federal government won't allow that community to do so, that's ridiculous and needs to change," Rigell, whose 2nd District includes Virginia Beach, parts of Norfolk and Hampton, and the Eastern Shore, said in a news release.
The city and Corps of Engineers are supposed to share the cost of the replenishment project, but there's no federal funding for the Sandbridge beaches. Virginia Beach has the money, raised through taxes paid by Sandbridge residents, but is barred from contributing the money to the corps.
City officials would prefer the corps handle the project because it already has the permits and expertise.
Phillip Roehrs, the city's coastal engineer, called the legislation's approval "very good news."
Beach officials also continue to explore other options and hope to start the project next spring, Roehrs said.
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Sandbridge home owners pay for the sand on PUBLIC beaches.
Folks, the agreement was that Sandbridge home owners pay a higher tax rate each year and the extra tax dollars are supposed to be placed in a sand replenishment fund. In addition, a TIF (Tax Incremental Finance) District was set up. After the baseline year for the TIF, increases in the property taxes paid by Sandbridge residents were also supposed to be placed in the sand replenishment account. The sand replenishment account was paid for by the people with property in Sandbridge. In the beginning, the USACE contributed money too. Meanwhile, City Council and Jim Spore began squandering the TIF part of the sand fund, stealing tens of millions for many years. The beaches in Sandbridge are PUBLIC beaches paid for by Sandbridge family taxes.
reid
How much?
What are the verifiable figures for the extra taxes and sand projects?
truthseeker
Why are you confused? It seems to me the GOP has stayed true to their word and not used Federal dollars for this project but has let the taxpayers in Sandbridge who voted for a TIF to fund this project pay for it themselves. Isn't this how things should work?
Why am I confused?
I'm confused because the house actually did something that made sense, politically and fiscally, and didn't find a way to blame POTUS for the disappearance of the sand in the first place! Watch out for flying pigs!
Chortle ... cough ... smile.
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- Truthseeker made me laugh!
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Amazing!
The GOP run house finally agrees to let the locality pay, after complaining that "the country should pay it's own way" The logic eludes me.
and your point alludes everyone else. Obama spent & spent &...
The GOP run house has been complaining that the POTUS has been spending money before he had it (i.e. Obama-care) and has been opposing the debt limit increase/tax increases the POTUS wants to implement.
The POTUS wants to increase the debt limit so as to begin paying for the debt/deficits he has incurred in the last 2 1/2 years. The POTUS isn't asking everyone to pay for it...only the rich/wealthy. The POTUS should have been focused on fixing the economy 2 1/2 years ago instead of spending. If he had fixed the economy there would be MILLIONS more people working and paying income taxes and therefore tax revenue would have been a lot better & he would not feel the need to ask for tax increases. Uhbama put the cart before the horse.
Spending?
I went to my piggy bank and it is almost empty! You may say I am not paying for this. Guess again WE ARE ALL PAYING! A sand project such as this is known by another name. It is a recycling program (tides carry sand to other places)!!!!!
$15 million free for the asking
Our 'fiscal conservatives' republican mayor and republican city council find that we have so much money yet they give the citizens of VB a new $10 monthly trash fee.
We
What do you mean "we" have so much money? The money 15 mil. belongs to the residents of Sandbridge,they raised the money by themselves,so keep you paws off our money!!