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Spotsylvania supervisors want more information about George Washington Toll Road Authority

Spotsylvania County supervisors want more information about a proposed toll road authority. The first of two required public hearings about the creation of a George Washington Toll Road Authority didn't provide the information they hope to eventually receive.

One project the toll road authority is expected to fund is a new Interstate 95 interchange near the Virginia Welcome Center. The interchange would connect to a toll road that bypasses State Route 3 to Gordon Road, at a cost of $250 million.

"I do look forward to some detailed analysis and justification for when and where we will build this road," said Supervisor Gary Jackson.

Homeowners will want to be informed of any decisions made regarding the proposed Authority, as any projects undertaken will likely affect the level of taxes and fees households pay to the County. New construction and traffic patterns can also affect property values.

FAAR: Housing market improving

The Fredericksburg area housing market is showing signs of improvement. Houses are taking less time to sell -- an average of 83 days this year, in contrast to last year when homes spent an average of 121 days on the market. There is currently a 7.4-month supply of homes waiting to be sold.

Read more at the forum for the Fredericksburg Area Association of REALTORS®

Posted on Friday, April 16, 2010 - 5:02pm

With good schools and low taxes on their minds, Virginia's counties and cities are balancing budgets

Schools across the commonwealth are trimming their budgets where they can, even as they plead with county and city boards to provide more funds. Local government officials are left with the difficult task of balancing the needs of the schools -- and other departments -- with the urgent call to keep taxes low during the economic downturn.

Budgets are balancing

In Staunton, residents will pay higher personal property taxes, more fees for water and sewer services, and see the Montgomery Hall Park swimming pool closed for the season. In Spotsylvania County, business owners may pay 42% more in property taxes next year. Henry County officials scrambled to find money to pay a deputy. In Charlottesville and Albermarle County, bad weather cost money by leading to reduced sales tax revenues.

Everywhere in Virginia, discussions are underway -- how will we balance our budgets?

Fredericksburg area growing, but not as quickly

The population of the Fredericksburg region is growing, but not as quicky before, according to newly released U.S. Census Bureau estimates. Stafford and Spotsylvania counties, which had been growing 6% to 8% per year, now both have annual growth rates below 2%. That still puts them on the list of the 100 fastest-growing counties in the nation.

The slower growth has in turn caused a drop in revenue to local governments, a concern for homeowners who may see taxes rise to make up for the missing funds.

The news isn't all bad, though: "It will allow us to catch up on planning and infrastructure," Stafford County Administrator Anthony Romanello said. "Previous growth happened at such a rapid rate that it was difficult for us to keep up with the pace."

Nonprofits help clean up Spotsylvania County

Spotsylvania homeowners will soon notice cleaner roadways as the county's Litter-a-Thon program kicks off April 3rd. Every Saturday in April, nonprofit groups will gather hundreds of bags of litter to raise money -- each bag is worth $4.

Clara Mills, an environmental coordinator for the county, says the program is very successful. "There are hundreds of bags that get picked up, and it is kind of a win-win because the nonprofit groups get a chance to make money while they remove litter."

The money paid to the groups comes from a litter prevention and recycling grant.

Census shows Washington area population is growing -- mostly in Virginia

New census statistics released Tuesday show the Washington area population growing in spite of the recession -- a sign that the tough economy has impacted it less than other places. Much of the growth is here in the commonwealth, which is good news for the Virginia housing market.

Loudoun County is the fifth fastest-growing county in the nation, with 301,000 residents -- a rise of almost 78% since 2000. Four other Virginia counties rate among the top 100 for growth: King George, Prince William, Stafford, and Spotsylvania.

Both the city of Alexandria and Arlington County grew by almost 7%, and the population in Prince William County was up 5%.

Budget woes continue as Virginia cities and counties decide how to spread the pain

Counties and cities across Virginia continue to struggle with budget issues of whether and where to cut funds in school budgets, city services, and employee benefits -- or whether it makes sense to raise taxes.

School budget decisions made across the state

Counties across the state are finalizing decisions about their school budgets. Read about local outcomes below:

Proposed Richmond budget has no service cuts (The Richmond Times-Dispatch)
Hampton identifies more revenues than originally thought, could reduce budget shortfall (The Daily Press)
Roanoke County school system avoids layoffs (The Roanoke Times)
Franklin County schools budget OK'd (The Roanoke Times)
Increased enrollment co uld lessen budget blows for Appomattox schools (The Lynchburg News & Advance)
City school board set to vote on budget Tuesday (The Lynchburg News & Advance)
School budget approved (The Free-Lance Star)
Spotsy schools to gain $1 mil (The Free-Lance Star)
Will lower taxes create school crisis? (The Charlottesville Daily Progress)
Wise school board considers five options for consolidation (The Kingsport Times-News)
Hatrick hopes for funding reconsideration (Leesburg Today)

Posted on Tuesday, March 23, 2010 - 3:12pm

VRE express train could bypass county stops

Prince William County, Va. - A plan to run an express commuter train from Fredericksburg to Washington, operated by Virginia Railway Express, drew criticism at this week's Prince William Board of County Supervisors meeting. At a cost of about a $500,000 already in VRE's 2011 budget, the train could begin operating in July. The express, which would get riders to Washington's Union Station 25 minutes faster than any other VRE train, would be the first train to leave Fredericksburg, at 5:05 a.m.

It would stop twice in Stafford County and then make stops at Alexandria, Crystal City, L'Enfant Plaza and Union Station, skipping the five stations in Quantico, Prince William and Fairfax counties. Passengers who board VRE trains at the Woodbridge station have long faced standing-room-only conditions.

VRE spokesman Mark Roeber said there was "not a lot of clamor from residents of Prince William County for the express train," but there is very high demand from riders who live "in the further extremities," like Stafford and Spotsylvania counties, who aim to get to work earlier.

Read the full story...

Posted on Thursday, March 4, 2010 - 12:09pm