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An increase in the Town of Blacksburg budget is slated to help serve the community, including students.
The recommended budget for the 2011-12 fiscal year would be a two percent increase from this year’s budget, according to Mayor Ron Rordam.
“You will see an increase in salaries for employees,” Rordam said. He said the increase would be the first in three years.
The budget is compiled by the Blacksburg town council, but individual budgets are requested by department heads. They are asked to look at the amount of funding they need and report that amount to the town council.
“We’ve managed to maintain a pretty steady budget,” Rordam said.
Parks and Recreation will see the largest increase in expenditures at 17 percent. Golf maintenance and the golf shop will be included within Parks and Recreation this year and under the operating budget, as opposed to previous years, according to Rordam.
This increase would be funded through increases in taxes and revenue, according to the recommended budget. If approved, there will be a 22.4 percent increase in miscellaneous revenues, consisting mostly of aquatic center fees. Citizens will also notice a 4.6 percent increase in intergovernmental revenue, including street and highway maintenance, police reimbursement and fire fund fees. There will also be an increase in all other forms of financing for the budget.
According to the recommended budget, there will be a 21.3 percent increase in the transit fund. This comes from funding within the budget, grants and student fees and is provided for the Blacksburg Transit. Rordam feels this alteration in the budget will have the largest impact on students.
However, the largest increase in funds is 145.3 percent in the capital improvement fund, which consists of primarily the Main Street project, Rordam said. This will create a safer environment for all pedestrians and is being done in support of the future center for the arts building, Rordam said.
Many departments will see slight decreases in funding between the 2010-11 fiscal year and the 2011-12 fiscal year.
“(The town) will offer the same high level services, but we’re doing it in a cost effective way,” Rordam said.
The town council has scheduled work sessions for the next few weeks to discuss the recommended budget. The final public hearing will be on April 12, followed by the consideration of approval on April 26.
“It is important that the public understand how we spend their money and have input into that process,” Rordam said, “So all our discussions are in public and detailed.”
A version of this article appeared in the Mar 25 issue of the Collegiate Times.
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Wow, Just think how much revenue a Walmart which would have lead to a full First & Main would have generated for the town. All these increase in fees would not have been necessary.
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Ah... so losing some/most/all of our retail stores to Wal-Mart would be ok? Thanks!
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Most of Blacksburg "Retail" stores are either specialty shops or bars. The only thing Walmart may hurt would be grocery stores. I try to keep an open mind on issues.
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So, again. It would be good for Blacksburg to lose its grocery stores?
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Amazing, Wal Mart is always the bad guy. Geesh, can you at least be original in thought?
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Wal Mart would hardly contribute anything at all to the tax base. They work deals out like this all the time. The only thing a Wal Mart would do is decrease the real estate value in it's surrounding area and when they pack up and leave in 10-15 years you are stuck with some seriously ugly blight.
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When I ran for Blacksburg Town Council two years ago my campaign did the research of the revenue that a Wal-Mart would bring to town. You can read it here: http://blog.brycecarter.com/2009/10/new-campaign-video.html
I am proud of the Blacksburg Town Council for continuing to show leadership in monetary management that supports our community while keeping an excellent credit rating.
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Good analysis, Bryce. Thanks.
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That's such limited thinking. First & Main and their new management team at
Rappaport Companies in Northern VA should be sending RFPs to non-duplicative brands
for our area such as Kohl's; Dillard's; or a hybrid design holding 'branded' retail from
multiple channel partnerships: Anthropoogie-Urban Outfitters-Free People-Leifsdaughter;
or JCrew; or BR, Gap, Athleta and get working with a non-compete movie theatre who's
first run lineups don't parallel Regal at NRV Mall (these do exist; still mass brand theaters
but they bring the eight films that aren't showing at the other screens and that don't
overlap with The Lyric - most communities are able to carry this off). WalMart is not the answer and itsn't because they're "WalMart" it's because there's a Super WalMart six miles down the same street and opening one here simply canibalizes. Let's not fall for the lowest
common denomenator; let's not just reach for the lowest hanging fruit. The smart thing - which actually is already happening at F&M (even during the recession, even thought the
complex is only 2/3 leased) is that retail WE DON'T already have in the area is pulling people in to shop and spend time there...let's build on that and not just duplicate what sits down the
street. It an be done.
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Great Comment! I Agree Fully!
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