In stark contrast to a hearing a year ago, the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors heard plenty of praise Wednesday for a Soccer Organization of Charlottesville-Albemarle project that would allow it to expand soccer facilities and be a boon for area sport enthusiasts.

The Albemarle County Board of Supervisors moved ahead this week with obtaining an independent scrutiny of its operations.

Albemarle County supervisors were faced with a difficult dilemma as they sat in the midst of a tax-rate stalemate earlier this month, waiting on one another to budge.

By The numbers
Proposed budget: $331.4 million
Increase over fiscal 2008 budget: $26 million
Advertised real-estate tax rate for fiscal 2009: 71 cents per $100 assessed value
Current real-estate tax rate: 68 cents per $100 assessed value