Question about Bonds

Does anyone know why Loudoun County votes on Bonds the way they do? When I lived in Fairfax, all the related bonds were lumped together (i.e. all roads on one, all schools on one, all police stations on one, etc.).

In Loudoun it seems that people would not vote in favor of something if they do not directly reap the rewards (not in my backyard attitude). What is the rational to divide the Eastern and Western related bonds if we all vote on them? Also why should someone care about a school or library not in their district?

I am just hoping that someone can shed some light on the reasoning. It is a shame that the rec center did not pass but, I think people probably thought it wasn't for them (the name Broadlands) and therefore said I am not paying which I feel is a great shame since it would have been a great amenity for the entire county.

 

It used to be done this way, but they changed it a few years ago.
Also, the fact that a bond referendum did not pass does not mean it won't be built. The bonds are simply a funding mechanism.
For example, the School Administration tried unsuccessfully on several occasions to get a bond passed to build/refurbish administrative offices. They then build a $27,000,000 new building for themselves.
The current Loudoun County Government Center in Leesburg also failed on bond referendums. The county built it anyway.

 

All other bond measures passed and most were by 60% or more. I agree that the wording left the wrong impression. Broadlands is a development and it sounded like the measure was funding a rec center for our development. The previous one that Snow got on the ballot for South Riding was called a Dulles South facility, not South Riding even though it is located there.

Hopefully the new board will make sure that the rec center does get funded.

 

I am very disappointed that the Rec Center bond was defeated. I too wonder if the title had anything to do with it.

Has the breakdown of election results by precinct been released yet? I wonder if the Ashburn area even supported the bond. If not, we have a real problem.

My initial gut reaction was too bad I voted for everyone else's bond - won't do that again.

Will our newly elected Supervisor propose to put the measure back on the ballot?

-Jim

 

As I said in another thread the more I think about it was a money issue more then a name issue. The other bonds were mostly for essential services except the Library.

It also was way more then double then many of the other essential bonds. When people are sitting in traffic and worried about taxes the last ting they want to hear and vote for is a glorified playground in the Broadlands for the perceived wealthy. The tax issue is going to be the next war zone along with roads. Yes lets face it we all want wonderful schools but don't want to pay Porsche and Lamborghini prices for it. Taxes go up much and Armageddon will begin in this county. Get first class businesses here and slow down the industrial and flex and we will get our tax base without much more burden on the residents.

Example when I lived in north Dallas there is a little town in the middle called Addison Texas, they have so much first class commercial that when I lived near there in the early to mid eighties. The residential taxes were extremely low. The commercial paid for everything including volvo police cars and the police chief had a Mercedes police car Of course that was a bit much for the taxpayers and the police had to go back to the normal police cars. Isn't that a position we would love to have in Loudoun. Too much tax money from the commercial. ha ha ha ha ha

I hope I live to see the day. ha ha ha ha

As a very wealthy old Texan told me many years ago. Don't ever think it is never about the money. " it is always about the money stupid no matter how much you have" as he would say. The bad neighbor developers around here have sure proved that point. as well as the good neighbor developers do.



Lee j

 

Darn! I had read the results wrong and was happy because I thought it passed. I use Ida Lee frequently and think that southern Ashburn desperately needs this type of facility.

 

This link will give results by precinct.
https://www.voterinfo.sbe.virginia....0-9A44-737216DAA55D/Unofficial/00_107_s.shtml

Only a few precincts voted in favor - those in Broadlands. Even those in Ashburn Farm and other nearby areas voted against it (by small margins). The western precincts (i.e., Purcellville, Leesburg, Round Hill, etc) voted overwhelmingly against it.

 

It's also "Brambleton" as well.

 

it was not worded appropriately on the ballots. ashburn frm AND Briar Woods both voted against? they must have thought it was for our neighborhood only- why would Brambleton not want a rec center on belmont ridge?

 

Personally I would love to hear why people voted against, and I still believe in these tough fiscal times it was an money issue more then a Braodlands name issue. The other centers were approved when this county was flush with money and people became delirious on how much there homes went up. In the latest issue of fortune magazine it shows in an real estate article home prices here must fall 38 percent here for a total correction over the next five years. This next board is going to have some very tough decisions to make and many of us are not going to be happy about them, but they must be made. THis is my sixth recession in the building business and it may become the worst ever. My architect and builder buddies are not at all optimistic about the next 5 years at all. My industry can have one of the greatest effects on the overall economy and we are just in the beginning of all this. The effect of the building industry has not yet filtered into the the rest of the economy as of yet. But it will and things like manufacturing on a global basis will feel it very soon.

Lee j

 

I happen to work with a number of Loudounites, both east and west, so I took an informal poll on this. Most voted against and the reason given was $$$, not location.

"$32M for a rec center???" or "would be nice but not with higer priority needs like schools" were the primary responses.

 

We are truly disappointed about the rec center. It is a shame.

 

Voted not because it's too much money for something "nice," but unneccessary. I'm not a big fan of government confiscating more of our money, especially for things that really aren't necessary.