More drama to deal with when they should be looking for spending cuts! Unlike the BOS, where the At-Large member is the Chairman, the School Board elects its Chairman from among its nine members. Robert DuPree has apparently had enough of taking the brunt of criticism and will not seek the chairmanship again for this coming year. Apparently the struggle to replace him is setting up a contest between Warren Geurin and John Stevens. I really don’t have any favorites on this board, so I am not thrilled with any choice. Any thoughts or intel? Should we press to have the At-Large member be elected as Chairman for future School Boards?
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Nov 16th by Loudoun Insider
LI, it’s always a drama, there’s always a contest, and Mr. Geurin is always ready to serve.
Mr. Stevens IMO may not be the best choice, as he is intensely political in what is supposed to be a nonpartisan position–look at the amount of campaigning he did on his blog not FOR Democratic candidates but against Republican ones–as if doing it that way made it less obvious? In addition, voting NOT to ratify the Goshen assemblage on the grounds that the BoS should be in charge of land selection, acquisition, title etc shows a fundamental lack of understanding of the rights and duties of the consitutionally-created corporate board he was elected and sworn to serve on.
If he has a fundamental disconnect with what he is already SUPPOSED to be doing as a member, then I have a hard time thinking he is the best choice to lead.
Barbara Munsey
on November 16th, 2009p.s.–attaching it to At-Large may not be the best either. Plenty of corporate bodies elect from within their membership each year, and the BoS used to.
That change was made willy-nilly enough that NO statutory rights and duties were attached to the elected Chairman At Large beyond the few delineated in the constitution, and as a result, when the rules of order were set in 2004 that did NOT include duties that had habitually been assigned in previous years (under a different majority), the hue and cry was raised that he had been “illegally stripped” of his rights.
Uhhh, no, not if they were only conferred as part of rules of order set every year.
“We’ve always done it this way” is not the same as constitutional statutory rights and duties, no matter how special unique and different Loudoun is.
Starting a process for changing it is valid, with the caveat that it be done much BETTER and MORE THOROUGHLY than was done with the BoS, to avoid the unintended consequences of the quick-”fix”.
Barbara Munsey
on November 16th, 2009Well here’s another great job by the Loudoun Economic Development team. Just great another huge loss to Fairfax. I am sure this will be another failure shoved under the rug during election time.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/16/AR2009111601969.html
BlackOut
on November 16th, 2009This was a strange quote from the Town Manager of Leesburg:
“Obviously, with such a big facility, they were looking at things beyond what the town of Leesburg could provide, but we’re happy it’s going to be in Northern Virginia and we’re hoping to get some of the spin-off business associated with it,” said Leesburg Town Manager John A. Wells”
So they were looking only at the town of Leesburg? What about the rest of Loudoun?
Loudoun Lady
on November 16th, 2009The chairmanship should be a shared responsibility of the school board. A one to two year term limit seems reasonable since it doesn’t require much experience to handle the gavel. Having one person fill that role for a long term is an opportunity for abuse of power and I don’t support a structure that would discourage turnover.
Ed Myers
on November 16th, 2009I thought the same thing. In fact, it is more damning if the Loudoun County Economic Development team didn’t know about this. It would be a tragedy if they don’t have someone watch for this big ops.
BlackOut
on November 16th, 2009“Fairfax beat out neighboring Loudoun County in snagging the new research facility; Loudoun had been pursuing the project but failed to offer the tax advantages Fairfax proposed, officials said.” This is a BOS responsibility, yes? Is there a supervisor in charge of economic development on the Board? Hard to believe that a $200M facility would escape their attention, especially when the Leesburg Town Manager is involved…
Rob Iola
on November 16th, 2009The issue raised by the posters regarding the Wash Post article was predicted years ago. When Loudoun’s slow-growth crowd emerged many said it sent a message that Loudoun was closed to big business. Other than strip malls repackaged as Town Centers, Loudoun has seen few major companies interested in the County. So far its been Fairfax 2 Loudoun ZERO!! (VW and the genetics research facility).
TruthSeekerVA
on November 16th, 2009The wall we may have (finally) hit in budgeting is that perhaps we can no longer continue to fund two counties out of one tax base.
We have TWO economic development offices.
Ouch.
Barbara Munsey
on November 16th, 2009Lori Waters is the current Chairman of EDC
BlackOut
on November 16th, 2009Damn, Barbara are you saying we have two distinct and different standards in our County? Maybe we should consolidate this dynamic the same way the BOS wants to consolidate some functions with the SB?
BlackOut
on November 16th, 2009There was an article recently in L2day
http://www.leesburg2day.com/articles/2009/11/06/loudoun_business/99929arural100209.txt
regarding concerns over whether the current head of rural economic development would be replaced following his retirement, given the budget.
Good question, BlackOut.
I think we have a lot of things we’ve “always done this way” that no longer bear much relation to reality, and some other things we spend to promote because we like to think we’re still primarily “this way”.
Some consolidation may be worth discussing.
Barbara Munsey
on November 16th, 2009Way to sidetrack this thread! We cannot really compete in high tech with Fairfax – they simply have much more to offer and with a bigger tax base can offer more tax credits than we can.
It will be interesting if a battle develops between Geurin and Stevens since they are two of only a few School Board members who are political committee members – Geurin with the LCRC and Stevens with the LCDC. I wonder if any kind of political schism will develop, although trying to say that Geurin and Reed are Republican is a stretch with the way they like to spend money. Well, then again, considering GWB and the Congress during his terms, maybe they fit right in.
Loudoun Insider
on November 16th, 2009Sorry LI, but it’s ALL budget, isn’t it?
We have one economic development office (ostensibly) seeking actual business, while the county sends the message “but you can’t live here, you can’t drive here, and for God’s sake you can’t have any kids in school here”, and another office of economic development spending a lot of money promoting tax shelters.
And it funds two school systems, and so on.
And it’s all one big government and one big budget!
HAVE we hit the wall, or are we still trying to jigger the skid to see which side of the bus hits first?
Barbara Munsey
on November 16th, 2009Here we go again with Barbara’s favorite topic – the evils of western Loudoun County! I still sontend that western Loudoun pays more in taxes than it takes in services.
Loudoun Insider
on November 16th, 2009Hum, maybe INOVA Loudoun is planning a Genetics Research lab and the BOS didnt want to create any competition for them! And we dont need new jobs in Loudoun either… com’on guys, someone might drive in rather than drive out and the PEC would get upset.
Ashburn Watcher
on November 16th, 2009That may or may not be true, LI. Remember, $3 billion in assessed value had its taxes deferred in 2007, and lord knows what it was in 08, and so on. How many land use and open space deferrals do you think occur in the suburban policy area?
Some entire county services and departments only serve the low density planning areas, and the costliest-per-seat schools are in those areas too.
The number of businesses are smaller, and the kinds of businesses are different, with the businesses that have tax-deferred land and untaxed products concentrated in the low density area as well (with the exception of Janelia==some people are still steamed about that tax deferral, and it remains to be seen how much business it will bring as time goes by–the justification for that deferral at the outset).
As I said on the other thread, the perception by some that 15-20% of the population is “carrying” the other 80-85% is not logical or realistic.
As I also said, if Catoctin County were a stand-alone economic viability, it would either already exist, or be on the way toward it.
Overall, it may be revenue-neutral.
But until we find out for sure, I tend to be skeptical.
Barbara Munsey
on November 16th, 2009Lets make it simple. Economic development is not happening because of certain people on the current board. Lori has it correct and look how well her part of the county is doing. Vote against Kincora and the last good piece of land will end up visually trashed like the ashburn metro has been visually trashed by the data buildings. What this all means is taxes will go up to pay for the way too many kids in the school system. Class A companies want the live work play environments like Reston and yes even tysons. The campus style is old school development. Peterson companies is about to lose a major corporation because of the old school zoning and this property adjoins kincora. Very sad how this beautiful county is being visually trashed by the second and almost to the point of no return.
Leej
on November 16th, 2009Does it really matter who is chairman as long as there are 7 members whose goal is to spend as much money as they possibly can?
FedUp
on November 16th, 2009Loudoun has long history of under-achievement WRT economic development.
Now, to the topic at hand, the SB has a tough job. They are fighting an entrenched management bureaucracy. Tax revenues are decreasing. Their planning office has no creative thinking ability. Enrollment numbers are increasing. Development patterns have driven facilities and O&M needs through the roof, while not helping elsewhere. And don’t feed us BS about “proffers”–they are nice, but a community like South Riding (not picking on y’all, just an example) will not pay for the services it consumes for another 20+ years, we have inadequate capacity around Ashburn/Dulles, and the best politician in the county (Hatrick) has all the others running scared. And the SB deals with complex management decisions on what is essentially a volunteer basis. When things get really crappy, like now, someone like Ms Waters will swoop in and Seagull all over the process. So, can you fault Mr. Dupree for stepping aside? Heck no. You really want that job?
Guerin would be fine. I think any of these folks should be thanked for their willingness to work hard, even if we don’t agree with them all the time. More new blood, willing to take on the Hatricks and Adamos would be a good thing.
Blaze N. Saddles
on November 16th, 2009BNS, that’s exactly the problem, there is no one on that School Board really willing to take on Hatrick. They all bow down before him, Geurin (Mr. Whiteboard) especially since his wife works for Hatrick. Hatrick runs the School Board, not the other way around. That will not change until we get a new School Board.
Loudoun Insider
on November 16th, 2009Bet Barb will shite if western Loudoun ACTUALLY quit paying taxes. I mean , since eastern Loudoun is subsidized by most of the west, and all.
The Bulletproof Monk
on November 16th, 2009Just a small positive word about Warren Geurin. Of all the members of the School Board, he has, in my opinion, the toughest row to hoe. His district has been hit harder and damaged more by uncontrolled immigration than any other in the entire county, possibly including even Leesburg. In about ten years or so, the schools in his district have gone from par excellence with strong academic and athletic programs to a desperate fight just to meet minimum state standards. And, unless something changes at the Federal level with regard to illegal immigration (which looks right now like a pipe dream), it appears to me like the struggle will be almost endless and may grow even tougher. Where once Park View High School, for instance, stood out on lists of science fair winners and Merit scholarships and a whole host of similar academic accomplishment areas, you rarely see the students of today on those
county-wide lists. We have administrators and teachers who are fighting like Hell to try to right this ship; but, in my opinion, they are severely handicapped by a diminishing seriousness about education in many quarters of both the student and parent population. There are always some who will try to put the best possible face on this situation; but you cannot long hide from the truth. Geurin faces this kind of thing all the time and still wants to fight. You’ve got to give him credit for that.
Wolverine
on November 16th, 2009Wolverine, Park View is still outstanding in many areas, which is all the more impressive with the share of burdens it bears. Warren geurin is a consummate politician, which is de rigeur for anyone in public service to survive in Loudoun. That doesn’t mean he doesn’t work hard for his constituents. He does, and then some.
Dean, I don’t know how that would work. There has been some significant growth there that may even out the lack of revenue provided by some getting significant discounts, simply because some of the growth that occurred in the area primarily west of 15 IS residential, on smaller lots (for the rural policy area) and doesn’t have access to the deferrals available to some with more land (sometimes as little as 5 acres).
This is similar to the special ed/school issue in that there are bounds set by the state that can’t be altered at the local level, some of which are long overdue for an update (just like our 1868 Reconstruction Constitution form of county government).
In Virginia we are a right to farm state, meaning that anyone who produces $1K of PRODUCT as opposed to PROFIT (superimpose “value add” marketing, the staple of the county strategy, and that is a ridiculously low bar to meet) is, for all intents and tax purposes, a farmer.
Updating that at the state level is not the issue here, now.
We could and should eliminate the open space land use deferral on parcels too small to subdivide, because they aren’t “protecting” us from any development that zoning doesn’t already have covered.
Anyone who has entered into a permanent conservation easement shouldn’t be getting a local open space deferral either, because again, they are not “prtecting” us from anything that they not only don’t intend to do anyway, but have already taken steps (and received benefits!) at higher levels to abjure.
There was a fascinating development (to me) a year or so ago, where a law was enated to prevent localities from regulating events at “wineries”.
I don’t use the quotes to denigrate the businesses here who work hard to produce good wine.
But I can think of one individual right off the bat who has a historic property in a conservation easement, who gets a 30% local tax reduction for having 18 sheep and some grapes on 28 acres. They do not commercially produce wine, but qualify as a winery for eventing purposes, therefore, according to their website, they do no more than one wedding per weekend.
Ever seen a B&B or a country inn come in and try to get a permit for one wedding or event a month? Three a year? Life on earth will end as we know it.
This one example also has two accessory dwellings on the property, that they advertise for rental by the month, or occasionally by the weekend.
That’s a nice oncome, and I’m not saying it isn’t work, but for a retired consultant and a practicing lawyer, that’s a pretty good deal on local taxes that takes advantage of good deals at every level in order to more affordably have a lot of assets quite cheaply.
Don’t even get me started on Miller’s aide who gets not only their county paycheck, a similar 30% land use reduction for a county-promoted business that was purchased intact, AND has kids (PLURAL) in a $20K per seat 138-pupil school including all-day kindergarten.
Stop paying taxes? It might get a lot more interesting really really quick if Ashburn, Sterling, Cascades, Stone Ridge did the same thing.
Barbara Munsey
on November 16th, 2009fed up, on either board, it only takes five votes to do anything.
Barbara Munsey
on November 16th, 2009Wow. You really do hate the best part of the county, western Loudoun. Wouldn’t it be nice if we have an amicable divorce? We’ll take care of ourselves in western Loudoun, and you folks over in Fairfax Part deux can do the same. Or, you could just jump the line and move into Fairfax, then you would not longer have to worry about anything that is happening out here.
It doesn’t matter who is chair of the school board. Until voters are so fed up with tax increases that they throw ALL the bums out, nothing will change because they have no incentive to change.
Lovettsville Lady
on November 16th, 2009>>>fed up, on either board, it only takes five votes to do anything.<<< Sheeze. More condensing crap.
Despite what you seem to think, there are many here who can do simple math.
Lovettsville Lady
on November 16th, 2009Lovettsville Lady, honesty is not hatred.
Simplistic attack, couched as dismissive omniscient defense.
Amicable divorce?
Were you here when the Catoctin County feasability study was briefly published?
It drew a line not including Leesburg, although many people west of that line are served in Leesburg for schools (the most expensive service, remember?).
It presupposed that all county and school property within the border would be deeded outright to the new county (along with employees, amazingly enough).
It declared that a credit would be paid by the remainder to the seceding portion for all county property (including buildings) within the new border, on the grounds that the residents contained therein had paid more for them (regardless of when they moved in).
On top of all of that, it projected a significant tax spike, dismissed as a “startup cost”.
As I said, if it were economically viable, it would exist.
How can I hate an area that housed five of my nieces and nephews, graduates of Valley?
Cheap and easy dismissal.
Sorry, but a spade IS a spade.
Barbara Munsey
on November 16th, 2009Again, sorry, but it doesn’t take seven, as was quoted. It DOES take five. Not condescending but true, in the difference between a simple majority and a supermajority.
Barbara Munsey
on November 16th, 2009Can we somehow cut out this old West vs East stuff? When I moved into Sterling some many years ago, one of the first things I heard was how many in Western Loudoun were land-rich snobs who treated Easterners like fugutives from the urban slums. We said to heck with that notion. There followed years of spending as much time as we could in the West. Anyone remember those great old football clashes between Park View and Valley? We used to go to the 4-H Fair every year and also ferry our son to some great Babe Ruth contests at Firemans Field in Purcellville. We saw one of the first Babe Ruth state tournament teams become a mix of Western and Eastern kids who got along great. And we ourselves found some delightful friends and acquaintances. Boom. Then came the great development wave, and we wound up right back at each other’s throats. We are still one county. Let’s try to work these problems out without having yet another county “civil war.” Damn, I hate this crap about Western Loudoun and Eastern Loudoun.
Wolverine
on November 16th, 2009Wolverine, there are plenty who get along great on a micro level.
I think a lot of it is crap too, but I don’t thik the majority is fostered by those who sold the land that all the rest of us live on, in both east AND west.
The MAJORITY of taxpayers in Loudoun didn’t live here ten years ago.
“Last house on the block” syndrome knows no borders, and I truly believe the county has failed to adapt to change as well as it needed to try to do.
Like it or not, MANY things have changed.
Everyone is discussing the need for signnificant change in the budget.
IF anyone gets a pass, who, and why?
Whose “fault” is it?
If all it depends on is density, then we’re headed for a much bigger crash.
Density at this point is arbitrary, and we can’t have such widely differing rules and results dependant on a (perhpas transient) arbitrary designation.
Schools must go down?
Raxes must go up?
Okay, discuss.
But from a logical starting point that does not presuppose address.
Barbara Munsey
on November 16th, 2009Sorry, taxes.
Barbara Munsey
on November 16th, 2009BlackOut, Loudoun Lady, Rob Iola, re economic development, this article makes a little more sense on the genetics institute:
http://leesburg2day.com/articles/2009/11/16/news/9987institute111609.txt
It seems it was the town of Leesburg, not the county, which explains why the Leesburn town manager would have comments of record.
(Still worth it to ask if our county was in line behind the town, before Fairfax, but who knows?)
Barbara Munsey
on November 17th, 2009Barbara according to LI the County EDC was involved but again were inept at luring this opportunity to our County coffers. Here’s the article:
http://www.loudouni.com/news/2009-11-16/research-institute-picks-fairfax-over-loudoun
BlackOut
on November 17th, 2009Well good for Jason to dig deep!
Ow for us all, again.
Barbara Munsey
on November 17th, 2009Anyone who can should turn on the webcast right now–do you know that THIS YEAR there is over ONE BILLION in assessed value in Blue Ridge district alone that is tax deferred?
They are doing a breakdown by district of the county portfolio.
Stay tuned for Item 15, which was pulled from the consent agenda. That was the item from the joint committee recommending that a site be sought north of the Greenway for the next Ashburn HS.
Taking it OFF consent doesn’t smell good.
Is HS6 coming back? And if so, is it being pushed to jump in front of the recommendation of the joint committee, or jump all the way in front of HS7?
HS7 has voter approval to buy land and build.
HS6 has land, but no voter approval to bond construction.
Please don’t tell me they’re trying to end-run it into this year’s budget?
There goes thw whole fantasy that the BoS wants to pare back schools if so.
Barbara Munsey
on November 17th, 2009I smell Lori Water’s shenanigans if this consent pull is associated with an end around about HS-6. I’ll withhold judgment until this thing plays out.
.
If true, Waters has no idea the wrath of discontent that will descend on her from Ashburn Farm.
BlackOut
on November 17th, 2009Agreed–but I really have my hackles raised with pulling that item from consent.
Why come to any agreements at the joint committee if the BoS is just going to change it at the very next meeting?
Bizarre.
Barbara Munsey
on November 17th, 2009So is Lori Waters on the list of bums (along with Hatrick, Dupree, Miller – assuming he runs again, etc.) that we should look to vote out next time?
Rob Iola
on November 17th, 2009I don’t know who pulled it from consent–anyone can seek that, either on their own volition, or for a colleague.
Barbara Munsey
on November 17th, 2009Lets see Lori is going to get the shaft next election???? hmmmm One thing you all are forgetting she is loved over in her district and again has the best roads in progress and beautifully designed economic development.
And Miller is becoming widely disliked in his district and does not have a clue about economic development as well as McGimsey who will also not be re elected. Hello we are not getting the class A development because they want to be in mix use developments which does include residential. Again live work play all within walking distance. That is why Fairfax is getting the economic development. Fairfax is close in and has live work play close together. Not overlooking the industrial data on every corner and horrible commutes. Metro is not going to solve that. As a matter of fact metro will make traffic worse as we have the end stations.
Leej
on November 17th, 2009Lee, the new districts will most likely have the biggest piece of Lori’s constituency in Lansdowne, which could explain the resurrection of HS6 (if that’s what’s trying to happen).
In the boundary process, it looks likely that Lansdowne will be shifting to the hundreds of empty seats in Tuscarora, instead of keeping them at Stone Bridge in Ashburn Farm (also part of Lori’s constituency now).
By keeping Lansdowne happy, and moving Ashburn Farm out of an Ashburn Farm location, everybody in Dulles gets to play musical chairs and leave seats empty in Leesburg.
If Lansdowne moves to Tuscarora, that should be VERY interesting in new district elections.
Again, WHY vote on anything at the joint committee meetings, if it just changes at the next BoS meeting?
Barbara Munsey
on November 17th, 2009What does the line about Mark Herring mean in the LI article? Is he claiming if he had been involved in the process the facility would have been in Loudoun? Not sure he has ever contributed to businesses locating in Loudoun, he seems to be absent from Loudoun Coumty most of the time.
Loudoun Lady
on November 17th, 2009BoS adjourned, and some interesting comments on 15, although it passed without issue. Delgaudio did a pretty thorough job of confirming the queue with staff, as far as what’s already funded and that anything funded is already in the debt calcs.
Comments re solution seeking, with mention of the property the county already owns–meaning perhaps ISA?, mention in passing of HS6, and mention of the boundaries, hoping they would be as little disruptive as possible.
Hmmm
Barbara Munsey
on November 17th, 2009Loudoun lady, the impression I got from Herring’s quote is that he was involved in trying to get them to Northern VA, but that Fairfax had the better financial incentive.
He’s around in his district–he hits community meetings with fair regularity over here, and I was in Leesburg about a month or so ago, and he was walking down King Street–I’m guessing home from his law office?
Several BoS’ have taken heat over the Janelia tax deal, so who knows what they were willing to offer.
Barbara Munsey
on November 17th, 2009Despite any add’l incentives offered by Fairfax, is anyone really suprised the research group preferred access to collaborate with those at Fairfax Hospital and other FCo hospitals over the ‘phenomenal medical expertise’ that defines our one and thank-goodness-only Loudoun Hospital Center?
anon
on November 17th, 2009Sounds like Loudoun EDC wants to just sluff this off as the big cat having more financial incentives and that’s why they lost to Fairfax.
Sounds like Fairfax got creative without a big local cash outlay. Seems the state was tossing the actual cash. I sure wish Loudoun could get smart on how to do creative things like this. Here’s the quote:
.
“To land the facility, Kaine promised Ignite $3 million from the Governor’s Opportunity Fund and said he would include $22 million in grant money to Ignite in Virginia’s next budget to be paid out over four years.
For its part, Fairfax plans to back the project by issuing industrial revenue bonds that private investors can purchase to help build the Ignite headquarters.”
BlackOut
on November 17th, 2009anon, I always thought we were giving a tax break to the Hughes Medical Institute to be a magnet for these types of business opportunities. Lori Water’s should step down and let someone else have a shot at this tough competitive game.
BlackOut
on November 17th, 2009BO – I think Waters faces the wrath from the Farm ever since she sold them down the river for her Lansdowne folks. She’s trying to push the Farms to Briar Woods so her folk stay at StoneBridge…lastly, the whole ED issue was brought out during last campaign cycle and the newly elected haven’t done squat. The Chairman of Loudoun’s EDC and BoS for that matter are not qualified to lure business interests here, it’s been 6 years for Waters and many more for York and can you name one business they brought here other than the strip mall kings?
Michael
on November 17th, 2009We lost this because of the zoning issues here period.
And we are going to lose another large business (Peterson Companies) is trying to lure because of the zoning and companies don’t want campus style any more, they want to be in mixed use. Raytheon was a total fluke. Because their was large existing buildings at AOL. But if they want to build from scratch they will build in mix use. Work live and play environments. Ya’ll are missing the point on what is going to take to get serious ED in this county. First roads roads roads and mix use mix use mix use. New school planning. Our two metros at 606 and ashburn are useless in the new school planning world. They are traffic magnets because they are end stations.
Leej
on November 17th, 2009BlackOut, you must be sooooo sad that The Operative closed up shop and there are no more weekly Waters-bashing posts for you to chime in on. Try to stick to the topic here. There’s a lot more to that than you realize. Loudoun is in no position to grant another HHMI type free ride abd Fairfax simply had a lot more to offer. Every time a company doesn’t come here for whatever reason it isn’t automatically a Waters failure, as much as you may wish it to be. Michael, I’m so sure your boy Jack O’Ryan would be doing soo much better. Get over it.
Loudoun Insider
on November 17th, 2009Maybe those of you who are ACTUALLY in business for yourselves can open some of your county mail. In it, you are taxed for every piece of equipment you use, your furniture, your vehicles, your inventory, the ground that your enterprise resides on, if applicable. Noone in their right “business” mind would dare enter this county to do business here.
The Bulletproof Monk
on November 17th, 2009Well LI, as far as I am concerned if you keep doing the same thing over and over and over again, and it doesn’t work, you can pretty much assume you ain’t gonna figure it out without continuing to hurt yourself. Six years is enough for the OTJ for Waters. She never had the business acumen to begin with and it’s obvious she’s not learned along the way. We need new ideas and a new approach.
.
Why can Fairfax come up with creative approaches and Waters can’t?
.
There’s a famous business study that looked at David and Goliath situations. They evaluated numerous historical events of the underdog against the perceived winner. Think, Japan vs. US at Midway, or Lawrence of Arabia vs the Turks. All victories for the lesser due to intelligence, creativity and conviction. It was found that the lesser force wins at least a third of the time.
.
Waters ain’t got it. Not everyone does and I am not sure who does now, but let someone else try it’s obvious she is clueless to figuring out what will work.
.
Maybe lee is right maybe it is a zoning issue, or maybe it is something else, but I see no creativity or ability on Waters part of be able to figure this one out.
BlackOut
on November 17th, 2009Michael, I think you’re right. Waters has never considered Ashburn Farm as a part of her constituency. It’s been inconvenient for her from the start. I really think if it isn’t of direct benefit to her she’s not interested.
BlackOut
on November 17th, 2009And Blackout who has it on this BOS???? Miller who is the biggest joke on the BOS ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha McGimsey ha ha ha ha Burton ha ha ha ha Kurtz ha ha ha ha Burk ha ha ha ha
Non of this current BoS has any development business experience.
The Zoning in this county is stopping new business. Especially rt 28 and it will end up as a industrial data zone that employs few people. Just like the new Visa center employs only 300 hundred people on that large chunk of land.
And Fairfax’s metro’s are positioned to reap in the big companies unlike the future car clogged metros in Loudoun.
Leej
on November 17th, 2009Not even worth responding to – more Waters Derangment Syndrome. Go cry with The Op
Loudoun Insider
on November 18th, 2009So, back to the topic at hand, who is going to be the next School Board chairman?
Loudoun Insider
on November 18th, 2009LI in a way it is all on topic. Because THE MAIN THING HERE IS money. Money to run the school system which is the biggest problem this county has.
Where is the majority of future money coming from???? hellooooo future mix use developments. Otherwise we will get the low employment that data gives us like the visa data center on a huge chunk of prime land. Data and industrial are not very green in spite of the BS we hear. THey are huge energy gobbling. OK no future major ED. No money for the schools except for much higher taxes on the home owner. I am part of the development world here in Loudoun and the potential class A businesses are not impressed with the kind of developments many of the BOS wants them to move into. Hence higher taxes on the home owner to support the school.
Leej
on November 18th, 2009LI – I was referring to the lack of effort from the newly elected Ds and I believe Firetti was a better choice than York. Not sure where the Irish slur over O’Ryan came in? Do you have a deranged syndrom of your own?
Michael
on November 18th, 2009Michael, believe me Firetti is a snake in the grass. I am not going to go into why I am saying this, but I have very good personal reasons why I am saying this. On the other hand Firetti’s wife is a wonderful and very business savvy. She made Beacon Hill the success it is and the golf course that went under had nothing to do with the her or her boss the developer. I would take her on the BOS any day over her somewhat nutso husband
Leej
on November 18th, 2009Next SB Chair? Mebbe we could lure Michelle Rhee away from DC…
Rob Iola
on November 18th, 2009Back to OT – here’s more on the Ignite Institute:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/17/AR2009111703885.html?hpid=topnews
“If its supervisors approve, Fairfax County will throw in $150 million in financing guarantees to construct a state-of-the-art, 300,000-square-foot research lab somewhere along the Route 28 corridor.”
Rob Iola
on November 18th, 2009Rob Iola, that makes Burton’s motion yesterday to “get power back” in the rte 28 tax district over setbacks, etc much more interesting. The district is enabled at the state level, and includes both Fairfax and Loudoun entities.
I wonder if some of that “power” the BoS seeks to have will help, or hurt, businesses trying to decide which side of the road to settle on?
Barbara Munsey
on November 18th, 2009Well it looks to be about MONEY. And for what it is worth the fairfax side of rt 28 looks good and our side looks like junk. Personally I don’t believe this Ignite Institute is any big ED. Looks to me after reading the article it is about sucking as much money as they can out of the state and county for something totally a needle in a haystack for real ED. Let fairfax have this money sucking company that plans to build money sucking old school style . Pie in the sky. The real money is in mixed use like kincora. NOT low job building companies like Ignite with just promises not real meat.
Leej
on November 18th, 2009Lee, Inova was hoping to have something like this sounds as if it is going to be in Ridgewater Park, but that was doomed in the last round of no-growth politics, along with the nursing and training that would have lived in the affordable housing there while they were studying, and so on.
Some of that land is what’s up for approval as the green power plant now.
Can’t wait to see who protests that, ’cause somebody will!
Barbara Munsey
on November 18th, 2009Barbara what you say is correct. What I am looking at is real ED that will stop this current BOS from raising taxes and yes a rate increase in my opinion is still a tax increase. And where does this all funnel down to is REAL MONEY for the schools. Industrial data does not give us a significant raise in tax money over real class A business. It takes up enormous amounts of land for little employment and gobbling up enormous amount of energy for the for tokens we get in taxes to mainly support the schools. My prediction we will see a very new BOS next election as well as a new School board. People are fed up with the schools disability to control costs. The current school board needs to be in special ed
Leej
on November 18th, 2009Lee, that was one thing that was so attractive about the data centers to previous boards–and I mean 20th cent. Data centers were seen (during the rise of the dot-com bubble, when Loudoun was plowed with subsequently dark fiber, later used to sell “smart communities”–how’s that for full circle? lol) as something that would be a lucrative source of business taxes, with almost zero employees, hence no people, no houses, no traffic, no kids, all those bad things..
Barbara Munsey
on November 18th, 2009Ok you got me laughing Barbara. But in the big picture are the industrial data really lucrative????? Kind of reminds me of some science or horror show a few wanting to control the masses. opps i am sorry we already have these creatures called the School board and BOS wanting to control the many with absolutely no background or experience to know how to do it. Just wrong votes. Except for that vote that is regrettable to the many that cast it.
Leej
on November 18th, 2009Robb, I don’t think Michelle Rhee would move here to run for office, she is a highly compensated school superintendent. But she would be a great replacement for Herr Hatrick.
Loudoun Insider
on November 18th, 2009In all seriousness I wouldn’t wish her away from DC – she’s the best thing that’s happened for DC schools in generations. Hopefully Fenty’s got enough political muscle to keep her in their long enough to make a lasting change for the good.
Back to the topic – who in Loudoun has the political ability coupled with the management quals and the sheer force of personality to run the school board? LI, if not any of the current supervisors, who would be your choice?
Rob Iola
on November 18th, 2009Meant school board members, not BOS supervisors…
Rob Iola
on November 18th, 2009And it begins… Herr Hatrick has started lining the op-eds with his minions.
Everybody cruise on over and read the rants of Rountree on Leesburg Today LTE’s
The Bulletproof Monk
on November 21st, 2009Cascades Connection has an article that mentions Buckley’s Sugarland HOA meeting where she was confronted about the school budget. Buckley is a smooth talker but can only assuage the public so much, considering the rate thrown out by York to keep the budget flat is $1.48.
They are frickin insane!
Loudoun Lady
on November 22nd, 2009Mr. Rountree doesn’t seem to think so. I propose that we march on the BOS and demand that they set up an account where anybody that doesn’t think they’re paying enough for the schools can contribute readily.
The Bulletproof Monk
on November 22nd, 2009Dean, that might work as well as the PDR contribution account.
Barbara Munsey
on November 24th, 2009