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TMCNet: Bedford County supervisors pick new chairman

[January 13, 2009]

Bedford County supervisors pick new chairman

(News & Advance, The (Lynchburg, VA) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Jan. 13--BEDFORD -- With tough financial decisions approaching Bedford County, the Board of Supervisors on Monday selected John Sharp as its new chairman.

Sharp, 42, serves the Forest area and said just prior to being voted to the seat that he is committed to not raising property taxes this year.

"People are hurting," Sharp said. "It would only add insult to injury if while they are hurting we raise their taxes."

Sharp was first elected in 2005 and said in years past there has been a consensus among the supervisors to try to suspend tax increases, though that was never a "100 percent rule." He said he personally believes there should be no tax increases because of the woeful economy.

"We were able to balance our budget for many years now on new revenue due to growth," he said. "In years past, we've had enough growth to give us the revenues to be able to handle raises."

While Sharp said the county was prepared for less money to be generated from growth this year due to the economic downturn, he said it wasn't prepared for massive cuts from the state.

Supervisor Roger Cheek, who represents the Huddleston District, was selected as vice chairman Monday. Cheek said in late 2008 that raising taxes isn't in his vocabulary.

"I don't think anyone has the stomach for it," Sharp said.

The county's real estate tax rate is 50 cents per every $100 for assessed land value. Property values climbed drastically for many residents in 2007 after the last countywide assessment in 2006.

County Administrator Kathleen Guzi said Monday the county usually starts its budget process for the next fiscal year in late January. Guzi said the county is waiting on figures from the state and anticipates starting the budget process in February with approval slated for early April.

Sharp and Cheek were each appointed by 5-0 votes Monday. Both abstained and Steve Arrington, who served as chairman in 2008, was absent.

In other business:

- Debbie Shinstine, Bedford's acting residency administrator for the Virginia Department of Transporation, said the county is looking at a 24 percent reduction in a six-year plan for secondary road improvements, which totals around $3.5 million. The county will hold a public hearing on the plan once figures are finalized by the state, said Guzi.

- Guzi said a public hearing on upcoming changes to the county zoning ordinance would likely be held in May rather than this month. The later date gives supervisors time to focus on the county budget for the next fiscal year. The county is working on its first major update since 1998. "We need to take the time to get it right," Cheek said.

To see more of The News & Advance, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.newsadvance.com.

Copyright (c) 2009, The News & Advance, Lynchburg, Va.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

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