Now that the county finds themselves in tight economic straits, they’re tracking down property tax scofflaws, Brandon Shulleeta writes in today’s Daily Progress. Anecdotally, there are lots of folks getting land-use tax breaks who don’t actually qualify. But whether or not that’s actually true nobody can say just yet, so the county intends to look into it. Tax inspectors will be visiting properties of those deferring taxes on unimproved land, to see if they actually have the unimproved land they say they do. Folks who have been lying will owe back taxes. In the next couple of years the county intends to check out 5,000 properties, which could mean some new revenues for the county from people who aren’t paying their fair share.
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News and meta-news about Charlottesville, VA, since 2001.
Philip Melita and Duane Snow are both seeking the Republican nomination for the Samuel Miller seat on the Board of Supervisors, Brian Wheeler reports for Charlottesville Tomorrow. Melita is adjunct faculty teaching human resources at the university, and before that worked at GE Fanuc before his 1988 retirement. Snow, also retired, is the owner of the 97-year-old family-run Snow’s Garden Center, and used to serve on the Architectural Review Board. Democrat Madison Cummings and independent John Lowry are already in the race, so this will present a third choice for voters in the general election. The seat is open, a result of the retirement of incumbent independent Sally Thomas.
A single-room occupancy (SRO) facility for the local homeless population has got some tough zoning problems ahead of it, Rachana Dixit writes for the Daily Progress today. SROs are tiny (200-450 square feet) studio apartments, often without per-unit bathrooms or kitchens, and have become popular among cities looking for transitional housing for single adults. Virginia Supportive Housing wants to reproduce here the SRO model that they’ve established elsewhere in the state, and the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation has given the non-profit $75,000 to help make it happen. Planning commissioners are trying to figure out how to make such a development possible. The usual requirements for parking don’t apply—many residents wouldn’t own a vehicle—there would need to be on-site social services, and general mixed-use standards may not make sense. Establishing an SRO facility is important to Mayor Dave Norris, though, so expect to see a push to make this happen.
Albemarle Democrats nominated Madison Cummings for the Samuel Miller seat on the Board of Supervisors this evening. He was running against Lucia Phinney. The North Garden resident will run against possible Republican John Lowry (he’s not saying) for the seat current held by retiring supervisor Sally Thomas. Those wanting to learn more about Cummings can watch video of his campaign announcement speech, courtesy of Charlottesville Tomorrow, and Lowry has a campaign website with information about him and his candidacy. (Via @DoloresMaireRog)
Democrats have nominated Mayor Dave Norris and Kristin Szakos as their City Council candidates, Charlottesville Tomorrow reports, meaning that the third candidate, Julian Taliaferro, has failed in his bid for reelection. (Norris is seeking a second term, Szakos her first.) Right now there’s no word on the percentages, nor is there word on the outcome of the sheriff’s race.
1,644 Charlottesville Democrats participated in the convention, which has got to be a record—and by a longshot—as a result of the party’s move to a firehouse primary. The system long used by city Dems involved several rounds of balloting, the number of rounds increasing proportional to the number of candidates, which meant that voters participating in the process could have to spend hours casting a series of votes. A really good year might involve 500 votes, so 1,644 is really a huge turnout, comparatively speaking.
11:55 PM Update: James Brown has been nominated for Sheriff, Bianca Spinosa reports for CBS-19. Though the numbers aren’t final, Norris received approximately 80% of the vote, Szakos 61%, and Taliaferro 40%. Remember that voters are ranking the three candidates from their favorite to least-favorite, with the top two being their candidates of choice, so the total percentage is way over 100%. If I’m doing the math rights, this means that 80% of voters named Norris as their #1 or #2 choice, 61% named Szakos in those positions, and 40% named Taliaferro.
May 11 Update: The party has released the voting tallies. Dave Norris got 1,261 votes, Szakos 974, and Taliaferro 684. Weighted by precinct population, it came out to 80.49 “precinct votes” for Norris, 61.13 for Szakos, and 43.32 for Taliaferro. In the sheriff’s race, it was 661 (40.83) for Baird, 744 (47.78) for James Brown, and 177 (11.39) for Phillip Brown. You’ll note that total would have left Baird the winner, but James Brown won. That’s because this was instant runoff voting (IRV), with voters ranking their choice of candidates from most favorite to least favorite. Dropping Phillip Brown out of consideration, as the lowest vote-getter, and factoring in the second choices of his supporters, that left Baird with 701 votes and James Brown with 839. In a traditional election, Baird would have won with a plurality, but not a majority. Under IRV, the candidate that is preferred by the greatest number of people wins, which is how James Brown won. I’m a moron. The specific breakdowns are below the fold.
Continue reading ‘Norris, Szakos Win Democratic Nomination for Council’
Sideblog
Police announced this afternoon that their investigation into what was initially believed to be a fatal fire on Rugby Avenue is now a homicide investigation. #
The Virginia Supreme Court has denied George Huguely’s appeal. His second-degree murder conviction will stand, WRIC reports. #
In a carefully worded story, and not citing specific sources, WTVR reports that forensic evidence belonging to Jesse Matthew Jr., the main suspect in the disappearance of Hannah Graham, matches forensic evidence collected during the investigation of Morgan Harrington’s 2009 murder. #
In the wake of Hannah Graham’s disappearance, and the evidence that came from private security footage, city officials are revisiting the question of installing security cameras on the downtown mall. #
Both Charlottesville Registrar Sheri Iachetta and former Electoral Board member Stephanie Commander have turned themselves in to the police on
foursix and four felony counts of embezzlement, respectively. #Ten years ago, the National Institutes of Health budget doubled and schools like the University of Virginia built massive new research facilities. A decade later, those buildings remain largely underutilized. NPR visits UVA in this story on the effect of federal binge and spurge spending in the sciences. #
In 2012, Council approved a new student housing complex on West Main—now some council members are questioning whether what they were shown matches what was built. #
The Architectural Review Board has approved a bike-themed mural on West Market, below the McGuffey Art Center, although at least one member expressed concerns that it might look like the bicyclists were riding away from Charlottesville’s downtown. #
City Police Chief Tim Longo is meeting with city leaders to work on protocols regarding the use of military surplus police weapons in Charlottesville. #
A 100-year-old Colonnades resident received military honors for her service in the WWII Women’s Army Corps #
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