Western Loudoun Looking to Secede!

Thought this was interesting. Besides the fact that politcally it would never happen, I also doubt that they have the revenue to support themselves...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A38619-2005Mar15.html

Gregg

 

Also an article in Times Mirror. The financials should prove enlightening--and the sentence in the Post that caught my eye was the one about how far east they thought their county should go--could have something to do with seeking both a tax base and a buffer zone.

Very interesting to me was an item discussed at Tuesday's BoS mtg: Mr. Burton came into Dulles South with some PEC officials to launch the group Citizens to Save the Transition Area. This nascent "group" has been listed on the PEC Campaign for the Future web for at least two months, but was only launched Monday night. It doesn't make sense to "save" 10 acre base density between PDH-4 and A-3--currently the "transitional" area has the lowest density in Loudoun--unless part of the new county discussion will involve incorporating the "transitional" area into Catoctin County.

This will play havoc in Dulles district on many levels: we are the fastest growing, and there has already been talk of a need to split this district before the next magisterial election simply because there is already nearly two districts' worth of people here since the 2000 redistricting. If a portion of our district is taken to provide a buffer to a new county, this will stymie service issues literally forever.

The same organizations who support the downzoning, and woo eastern suburbs with the idea that the "needs of existing residents" could be met if there were no further growth are the very same organizations that show up at each specific proposed improvement process and state why each one is individually a bad idea--so much for the needs of the "existing". Very enlightening letter by Joe Maio of Round Hill a week or so ago: founder of VSS, whose wife is the former Loudoun PEC Field Officer, chimed in on Nancy Meissner's letter on secession to say that the west depends on eastern revenue for their services. This should get very interesting, and could be heartbreakingly ugly for western residents. If some find the rhetoric directed towards our suburban communities vicious, imagine what it must be like to live in a suburb of Purcellville or Round Hill and be villified in your own much smaller community.

Barbara Munsey, from South Riding.

 

Western Prince William County is looking better and better. Lower taxes, business friendly, (helps with that tax need ya know) good schools and at least they know who they are and what they want to achieve in the future. This county has no sense of itself top to bottom.

 

Marie, they have the very same issues being fought by the very same groups, who come across the line down here to oppose roads, schools, businesses, you name it, IN LOUDOUN, as being damaging to their quality of life in Prince William. The PEC is called the Prince William Conservation Alliance there, and the director was appointed to the Planning Commission. She also has a weekly column in the PW version of the Times Mirror. The grass may look greener, but would a move contribute to "sprawl"? If you go to western PW, be prepared to be criticized for ruining the Rural Crescent, unless you are also prepared to become active as a member of the "last house on the block" club.

As for their business friendly environment, they have a county owned technology park, which is how they attract the international businesses that have chosen to build there. Guess what happened at yesterday's BoS mtg? A motion was put up to explore using some or all of the former Islamic Saudi Academy site for a county owned techno park like PWC's, and it passed 6-3. Guess who the 3 were? Including one who voted FOR it when it unanimously passed Land Use/Transportation, and then reversed themselves yesterday?

Barbara Munsey, from South Riding.

 

(Musical quote):
"Na na na na....Na na na na....Hey heyyyayy, goodbye!"

 

My sentiments exactly!

Gregg

 

This is going to be pretty interesting. The second meeting that all the news articles heralded occurred Wednesday night, and nada in the Thursday Post. I think it will be very interesting to see the spreadsheets on how they could try to make it work: what will it cost them to buy/lease all schools, parkland etc? Everybody screams bloody murder every year about what has been for years a 1% tax rate. What will it sound like out there when a 4, 5 6 or more % rate is proposed as necessary to have what they have now in the way of service? That's when the real screaming will start, and it won't be pretty. How awful it will be for those who have believed the lies that they carry the developed areas when they find what it costs to pay for it themselves. Unbelieveable.

Barbara Munsey, from South Riding.