Editorial
“Tell me which services you want to cut,” said Buena Vista City Council member Melvin Henson to citizens who packed last week’s public hearing on the city budget to complain about a proposed 14 cents real estate tax hike and an array of other proposed fee increases.
Henson got to the crux of the matter. In order to avoid these hefty tax and fee hikes, services would have to be cut somewhere. We’ve scrutinized the budget pretty thoroughly ourselves, just as Council’s budget and finance committee has, and we haven’t found much to cut, if citizens want to continue to have vital city services.
One possible way to avoid such a steep real estate tax hike might be to tap into the city’s reserves, which were replenished somewhat late last year when American Rescue Plan Act funds were utilized retroactively to pay the past salaries of emergency services workers. However, City Council is understandably reluctant to take from its reserves because of two looming capital projects that are going to be hugely expensive – a major upgrade to the wastewater treatment plant and a new or renovated school.
It’s understandable that people are angry over the prospect of having to pay higher taxes and fees for services. However, we find it wrong to cast aspersions at certain individuals and institutions that are not to blame for the city’s tight finances. One citizen complained that the “university on the hill” isn’t “pulling its weight,” and questioned the loyalty to the city of Mayor Tyson Cooper, an employee of Southern Virginia University.
We beg to differ on both counts. Southern Virginia University, with its students, faculty and staff contributing greatly to the vibrancy of the community and finances of the city, is largely responsible for Buena Vista being able to retain its status as an independent city with its own school system.
Gone are the days when Buena Vista was strictly the industrial hub of the Rockbridge area. It still has viable industries, especially Modine Manufacturing, which is bustling with a new location in the county and a separate facility in Buena Vista in the former REA Magnet Wire plant. However, the city can consider itself a college town nowadays, with flourishing SVU and Mountain Gateway Community College, which is preparing to move into the Wilson Workforce Training Center that’s expected to provide a boon to downtown.
As for the mayor being an employee of SVU, that’s perfectly acceptable and even welcome. The city’s and SVU’s interests tend to coincide. What’s good for one is good for the other. Members of Lexington City Council frequently work at either Washington and Lee University or Virginia Military Institute. There are times where conflicts arise and members must recuse themselves from certain votes but it’s generally a good thing to have representation on City Council by members with ties to the city’s most important institutions.
It could be prudent for representatives of the colleges to meet with city officials periodically to determine if the institutions are paying a sufficient amount of money to the cities in lieu of taxes. However, it’s clear that each of the local colleges contributes much to our local community, and we are fortunate to have them.
The next step in the process is for the budget and finance committee to take one final look at the budget tomorrow, Thursday, May 22, during a meeting that begins at 3:30 p.m., in the city manager’s office. If many people show up, the meeting will be moved downstairs into the general district courtroom, where City Council ordinarily meets.
This year’s budget process has been transparent and constructive. Kudos to Cooper for maintaining order at last week’s public hearing and adhering to time limits for each speaker. Everyone got to have their say and their sentiments were heard loudly and clearly by Council.
The budget, along with tax and fee rates, will be adopted by City Council at a special meeting next Thursday, May 29.
