THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, June 16, 1996 TAG: 9606150113
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: 66 lines
When I received my 1996 tax assessment notice, I thought the computer had slipped a cog and gone wacko. After checking with my neighbor and viewing his new assessment, we concluded that it was, instead, city hall that needed repairing. My neighbor's assessment had increased exactly 33 1/3 percent over the past year. Any reasonable person would ask how that could happen.
My property assessment, which in 1992 was $166,000 - and that was excessive - is now $219,900. The neighborhood has not changed. My lot and building have not changed. Garbage service is the only real benefit I receive for my taxes. I contribute to the volunteer fire department and rescue squad. Something is wrong in city hall.
The past several years, the city manager has proposed increasing the city budget about 10 percent, always ``without a tax increase.'' At the same time, the city assessor is preparing new assessments to support any extravagance the city manager has envisioned. It does not appear to occur to these people that an increase in assessment without a corresponding decrease in tax rate is, in fact, an increase in taxes.
The city manager and City Council must have been intending to amuse when the personal property tax was reduced from $4.35 to $4.30 per $100 value. How does that 0.9885 percent reduction compare with the 27 to 33 percent increase in property taxes?
Suffolk's population has remained fairly constant over the past 10 years, at about 55,000. Inflation has averaged about 2.5 percent per year. The city budget and city government have gotten out of control.
Instead of attempting to economize and make city government efficient, the only thought now is to spend and expand. Increase the 96-97 budget $11.8 million; increase the '95-'96 budget $8 million. Who cares? Raise assessments and do it ``without a tax increase.'' I move that taxpayers convene at city hall, lock the doors and keep the keys until our city government is repaired.
In a June 2 letter to The Sun, Talmadge C. Jones said our city should change from its present form of government to a full-time, paid, elected mayor. With absolutely no reflection on Mayor S. Chris Jones, since the present position is a part-time arrangement, I fully support this recommendation.
Significant, if not radical, changes are required in every department of city hall. I propose that the mayor's salary come from a reduction in the city manager's office and the city tax assessor's office as a starting point of city government reorganization.
I nominate Talmadge Jones to be Suffolk's first full-time, elected mayor. We also need some rethinking about the make-up of City Council.
It is time to get started making new and long overdue changes in the manner in which this city is managed.
G.E. Gaddis
Kings Highway
Suffolk Time to speak up
Take a stand against the recent outrageous real estate assessments and the City Council members receiving a $10,000 pay increase each.
That's $70,000 of our tax money, probably coming from our real estate assessment increase! Attend the City Council meeting, to be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 19, in City Council Chambers on Market Street.
If you'd like to let your council know how you feel, now is the time. Sign up to be on the agenda before noon Tuesday.
Susan Lewis
Manning Road
Suffolk by CNB