City braces for a fall
By Elliott Robinson
Aug 27, 2010, 14:37
City Manager Dr. Edwin Daley gave a pragmatic view of the city's finances during City Council's work session Tuesday. In the worst-case scenario, the city may lose hundreds of thousands of dollars a year.
There is an expected 8 percent drop in real estate assessments in 2011 with the possibility that property values will increase again beginning in 2012.
Despite that, there is the possibility that the machinery and tools tax would be phases out in the next General Assembly. In February, the House of Delegates defeated a proposal to phase out the tax by a slim margin. Additionally, state aid and unfunded mandates are expected to continue.
Daley suggested that City Council begins reducing operations to conserve as much money as possible.
"Start to be concerned in 2011," he said. "We need to start doing that now instead of waiting till spring."
Proposals to help reduce costs to the city include continuing the consolidation of services in the city that are duplicated in the school system. Another plan is to reconfigure where money from the Interstate 295 project, tourism and meals and motel tax go within the city's budget.
Daley also said that the city should not undertake any new projects without a plan in place to raise money for them.
City Council will address the state of finances in subsequent meetings.
Also in the work session, City Council received a report on the possibility of deer hunting within city limits. Previously, several citizens have asked about the possibility of reducing the deer population in the western areas of the city and the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries held a meeting on its urban archery program.
To begin an archery program, the city must pass an ordinance and adhere to the Game and Inland Fisheries requirements such as:
— Only anterless deer may be taken during urban archery season
— Hunters must abide by state code and all limits, licenses and requirements must be fulfilled
— Permission from landowners must be obtained in writing
The city's proposed ordinance, which will be presented to City Council as early as next month, will allow for 10-foot tree stands, no hunting with dogs and will not allow the discharge of an arrow within 30 yards of a dwelling, sidewalk or street. If the decision is made to allow hunting on city property, a proficiency test may be a prerequisite. Another decision that must be made is the minimum property size for hunting.
Colonial Heights is the nearest locality in the urban archery program. It does not allow hunting on city property.
