Letter writer got it right

Dear Editor,
I read with interest the “My Point of View” piece this week submitted by Todd Rojcewicz of the Powhatan Taxpayers Alliance.  I agree with Mr. Rojcewicz completely. 

I first noted our increasing county budget about two years ago and drafted an email to the BOS expressing concern at that time about our increasing property assessments and the need to “hold the line” on expanding the county workforce and increasing property taxes.  

Their response was to increase taxes to support a larger budget with more county staff.

I don’t know what “Alice in Wonderland” the BOS and County Administration has been living in, but this current recession was predictable by anyone in business.  Current budget shortfalls should be of no surprise, instead of preparing for it, our leaders have exacerbated our current problem by continuing to expand  staff and by not curtailing spending.

For the last two years, the Commonwealth has been struggling with revenues.  The fact that this has trickled down to local government, is again, no surprise.  Declining property assessments, again, no surprise.

The answer, to date, has been to pass increasing costs and declining revenues onto the backs of County taxpayers.  This appears to be the continuing response of the BOS.  Call it what you want, remaining “revenue neutal” is a tax increase.  If my millage rate goes up, it’s a tax increase.

Government, even at the local level, needs to be responsible spenders of our tax dollars.  If anyone thinks that if we get by this budget year, everything will be OK, I think your wrong.  The time to cut back and downsize is here and now. It’s too late to “hold the line”.  That should have started two years ago.

My message to the BOS and County Administration is, if you cannot manage a budget without tax increases, then step down and thank you for your service.  It’s not going to get any easier.
 
Larry Nowery
Powhatan

Thanks, Ukrops, for the journey

Dear Editor,

Thanks to the Ukrop Family for being part of my 40 plus years Journey in food sales and allowing me to grow with them.

I traveled up and down the Mid Atlantic and made sales calls on many chain and independent grocery stores, met a lot of good people and formed some lasting friendships.

I first called on Ukrops at their first store on Hull Street and I knew back then I had hitched my wagon to a Star and I was looking forward to a great journey.

The Ukrop Family and their associates always treated all vendors, suppliers, customers and community as part of their family and we will always be better for this. I continue my journey in retirement and still keep in touch with the Ukrop Family and associates and am very thankful to them for making the trip a wonderful experience.

Floyd Harvey
Powhatan