‘Berkeley East’ Slutzky too radical for Albemarle
Published: October 18, 2009
David Slutzky is the most arrogant politician I have ever met and needs to be reminded that he works for us, and not the other way around.
Mr. Slutzky’s idea of eliminating land use tax to raise up to $18 million completely ignores the reasons why the discounted land use tax rate was established in the first place. The concept was to give farmers and other rural landowners the ability to keep their lands intact without selling off parcels or being forced to sell off the whole property because of rising real estate taxes.
After many years of land value inflation and rising real estate tax rates in the county, landowners were faced with losing their land — many properties were held by the same family for 100 years or more! — because they couldn’t afford to pay the rising taxes. Albemarle County wanted then, as now, to preserve as many large expanses of land as possible, and to slow the rate of development in the county.
If Slutzky has his way, many of the landowners will be forced to sell off their land or at least parcels of the land, which then will be developed, which is contrary to the desires of most of our citizens.
All this because he wants to tax, tax, tax and spend, spend, spend. Typical liberal politician, David Slutzky comes here from Chicago and tries to increase taxes on landowners who have been here for a century or longer.
Vote this man out of office! He endangers our rural landscape and wants to raise our taxes during a recession.
In previous elections, I have voted for Democrats David Toscano, whom I still support, Ann Mallek and Tom Perriello, but Mr. Slutzky and his “Berkeley East” ideas for Albemarle are too radical for our community, plain and simple.
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Thomas Jefferson was a supporter of limited government (laissez faire).
Separation of church and state (Virginia statute of religious freedoms), State vs. Federal checks and balances (to limit each entity’s authority) and the Bill of Rights. These three protect people, not big government.
I believe Thomas agrees with Jefferson on those three points.
I concur with Mr. Shaw. David Slutzky was filmed at a town hall-style meeting where he proposed raising taxes in Albemarle County. He then asked for a showing of hands where the one person agreed with him and the rest of the audience’s 45 members disagreed. That’s tax tax tax. Mr. Slutzky wants to eliminate the currently enacted, applied for, and garnored land use tax on rural landowners and replace it with a system that would re-institute a tax on the landowners so that the county can gain $18 million in revenues (that’s what Slutzky said). That’s tax tax tax. This is a broken record from Mr. Slutzky and he should not be returned to office.
I don’t know much about either Slutzky or Thomas. I do know Albemarle has a grand tradition of innovative, radical liberals like Thomas Jefferson who would not be terribly offended nor flattered by the term “Berkeley East.“
To both foehammer and Mr. Shaw - your attacks on Slutzky are both false and disingenuous. You both know full well (or should know) that the first proposal Slutzky came forward with was a TDR proposal that would have permanently protected the rural lands (no possibility of sale) while simultaneously creating a mechanism that would have compensated rural land owners. This is merely another in a long line of proposals (note: PROPOSALS, Slutzky is not wedded to them, nor even sure of how they should be constructed - heaven forbid a politician not be an ideological zealot, wedded to an outcome rather than the best interests of the community as a whole) that has the intention, hope, and goal of protecting the rural lands for the enjoyment of future generations.
And wow - all because he wants to tax, tax, tax? Even though his proposal was accompanied by a property tax REDUCTION for 95% of Albemarle? Gee whiz, Slutzky sure does sound like a crazy tax and spend liberal when proposes to actually reduce the taxes of everyone who is paying their fair share. Mr. Slutzky’s proposal is one that would reduce taxes, encourage rural land protection, help reduce the amount we’re paying to Charlottesville under revenue sharing, help raise money for education and public safety and infrastructure, all while making the tax code more fair - and even HE hasn’t committed himself to it.
I’m glad you voted for Delegate David Toscano (who has been unchallenged or practically unchallenged his last two elections - or did you just mention that to make yourself sound reasonable and provide yourself political cover?), but I will say that, like Delegate Toscano, David Slutzky is a thoughtful politician, one who wants to ensure we have a high-quality education system, an infrastructure capable of supporting Albemarle’s growth, and that we have a thriving, booming business community.
Your letter reads like a collection of far right-wing ideological talking points, ranging from the anti-governmental to the xenophobic to the fearmongering. As I said, both false AND disingenuous.
Rodney Thomas has 10 times the common sense that Slutsky has. Go out and vote in Nov. show these tax and spend liberals that we have had it with them!
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