Some of Richmond's proposals irk supervisors

Prince William supervisors aren't happy with the latest policy plans that are shaping up in Richmond and are entreating residents to get involved via phone calls and, ultimately, votes.

Of greatest concern is the one-year delay in implementation of the new Local Composite Index imposed by the immediate past governor, Democrat Timothy M. Kaine. The LCI is Virginia's funding formula for schools that determines how much each jurisdiction receives based on a slew of economic factors. Prince William was due to receive a larger slice of this state-wide funding pie because of drops in housing prices and real estate revenues.

With Kaine's freeze, however, Prince William schools will instead lose.

"We're losing money … and $22.6 million next year will be lost in Prince William County Schools," said Dana Fenton, legislative director for the county, during a recent update to the Board of Supervisors. "But we're also getting more students. That doesn't make sense."

Northern Virginia as a whole will lose $114 million of school money, should this freeze not be overturned by Republican Gov. Bob McDonnell, Fenton said.

"When we send a dollar to Richmond, only 40 percent comes back for schools," said Chairman Corey Stewart, R-at-large. "Now when the tables are turning a bit because property values have dropped, they want to freeze it."

Stewart advised constituents to vote "anybody [who] supports that policy change … out of office."

The LCI was hardly the sole source of board frustration with Richmond.

"The next big issue was put forth by the Homebuilders Association of Virginia," Fenton said. "It's a bill to not allow localities to accept cash proffers before the certificate of occupancy is issued. Currently, we accept cash proffers at the building permit or site plan stage."

In plain-speak, this bill would keep the county from taking cash proffers until the homes or businesses are physically occupied, Stewart said, characterizing that scenario as a "disaster."

Moreover, the new rules contained within H.B. 374 and its companion, S.B. 632, would run retroactively and ostensibly prevent the collection of cash proffers on even those site plans and permits that were approved as far back as 1976 -- the year that the state's proffer system first went into effect, Fenton said.

"Homebuilders claim they can create more jobs if they can wait to give cash proffers," Fenton said.

That claim didn't sit well with board members, though, who saw the measure as a dramatic hit to one of the county's primary sources for road improvement projects -- the very same that built Sudley Manor Road and widened Linton Hall Road, according to Stewart.

"The state has not committed a single dime for transportation infrastructure since 1988. This county took the bull by the horns … and had its own major road construction program," he said. "Now what they're saying [with this bill] is that they're not even going to let the localities be responsible for the roads … and they're putting us in an impossible situation."

Again, Stewart called for constituents to get involved and contact their representatives in Richmond.

Another bill, according to Fenton, that could impact the local transportation flow comes from the Senate in the form of a proposal that overturns existing law and prohibits hybrid car drivers from benefiting from High Occupancy Vehicle lanes. Currently, hybrids are exempted from HOV passenger requirements.

Staff writer Cheryl Chumley can be reached at 703-670-1907.