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'Flip-flop' nickname applies to Spotsylvania board, too

'Flip-flop' nickname applies to Spotsylvania board, too

Date published: 7/21/2004

Attempting to keep up with the Spotsylvania Board of Supervisors' vision of the future is becoming as difficult as trying to understand Sen. John Kerry's position on homeland security or tax cuts.

The latest example of our "flip-flop" board is to remove land along State Route 3 from a designated growth area and put it into rural development classification ["Rural vision for Rt. 3?," July 14].

One of the primary purposes for these "commercial hubs" is to encourage businesses to relocate or expand into this region, thereby lessening the tax burden on homeowners through increased commercial revenue.

Suggesting that the lack of water and sewer would not affect commercial development, board Chairman Bob Hagan said, "We even have schools that are on well and septic." With this mentality from our chairman of the board, we should not look for commercial revenues to affect our real-estate tax rates anytime soon.

I applaud and am sympathetic to Gary Partridge, the county's economic-development director, and his economic-development team in their quest to showcase an area committed to a "business-friendly environment," unless of course he has septic-tank-pumping business prospects. Their job is difficult enough competing with communities around the country who have in fact made a commitment to business with infrastructure investments and a stable vision for their economic future.

Trying to focus on where Spotsylvania is going feels like riding Kings Dominion's "Rebel Yell" on an empty stomach.

Ken Kreitz

Spotsylvania

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Date published: 7/21/2004