Due to increased property tax values in Albemarle County, the school system is receiving about $886,000 more than they had expected. The school board is proposing that this money be used to increase the size of the planned pay increase from 2% to 3% – 3.3%. The total increased income from taxes is $1.3M, but the county is getting $440,000 less from the state, so the balance comes to that $886,000 excess. Kate Andrews has the story in today’s Progress.
cvillenews.com
News and meta-news about Charlottesville, VA, since 2001.
City Manager Gary O’Connell reported at last night’s City Council meeting that things are looking bad for the upcoming ~$80M budget. Due to state shortfalls, city schools will be losing $750,000, police $60,000, and social services programs $913,000. Library funding could be down by as much as 25% and funding for the state’s six-year transportation plan by 50%. Jake Mooney has the story in today’s Progress.
Council decided 5-0 on Monday evening to continue funding for Art in Place for a second year. The public art program has placed seven sculptures around Charlottesville in locations where they would receive the most exposure from passers-by, in an effort to make art accessible to the general public. Two of those sculptures didn’t last more than a few months prior to being removed due to vandalism. The city will be spending $10,000 to support the program for FY2002, expanding the number of installments to ten. WVIR had the story on this evening’s broadcast.
The McIntire Skateboard Park will continue to be free to its users. The park, which was created after the city banned skating on the Downtown Mall in the mid-90s, is expensive to operate, and it had been speculated that user fees might be necessary. Now that won’t be necessary, thanks in part to a $20,000 donation from Dave Matthews Band, Charlottesville’s newest philanthropists. The remainder of the necessary funding will be covered by the city and Albemarle County. WVIR had the news on this evening’s broadcast.
Big_Al writes: Interesting article about the Jefferson School debate in today’s Washington Post. It seems to spell out most of the issues better than what I’ve seen in the local media.
Full disclosure: this reporter is a candidate for Charlottesville City Council. I’m told that this coverage is courtesy of City Council candidate Alexandria Searls, who convinced the Post to come down here and do the story.
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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