Minutes 04/28/1981 - Laserfiche WebLink

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258 April 28, 1981 people z~nsider m new place to live, their first concern is the quality of its schools. survival of our city is at stake here. There are no parents who would not sacrifice willingly for will mortagage their homes and go into debt because it is worth responsibility. their child's education. it. It is their primary If we are willing to make such efforts for our individual children, certainly we are willing to sacrifice for our cellective children. Th~ The position of o~r City Manager is well taken. We must address the failure of our state government to fund our schools adequately. Now when costs are far .higher and state mandated standards are far more stringent, our budget portion from the Commonwealth of Virginia is far less, proportionately. More state funding is the solution we must seek. However, even if we are successful in the coming assembly session, we will not benefit until 1982 or 83. I believe we cannot allow our Portsmouth.~schools to falter this year. If we lose our preeminence as a first class school system, we will lose dedicated personnel. We will lose more students, and we will lose our self esteem. We need to say to our own citizens and to all the citizens of the State of Virginia that we know we have a precious asset and that we will protect it. These are our values and we will not diminish ourselves by forsaking them. I am not asking you to restore the School Board's budget request entirely. I ask that y grant parity in salary raises to all city employees. Df all the arguments we can muster of all the lobbying we can do at the next general assembly, this can be the most persuasmve. Nothing could be more effective in influencing the assembly than this demonstration of our own commitment. I understand full well the many difficult problems you face in resolving the budget needs for the coming year. I know the difficult)- of the dilemmas you face. But I ask you to return the budget to ~he City Manager with a request to revise the school allocation so that it will reflect this commitment at least to parity ramses. In this way, we will enhance our own self esteem, and we will best assembly, and most of all, we will preserve a superior school system." influence the of Portsmouth genera Robert Porterfietd, 330 County Street/Central Building, President Chamber of Commerce, made the following presentation: "I am appearing.before you this evening as President of the Portsmouth Chamber of Commerce. The vomce of business in Portsmouth, which represents over 700 firms in our City. Those 700 firms not only represent the majority of the business community, but they and their employees represent a very large segment of the tax paying citizens in the City. The comments and recommendations I will make tonight were passed unanimously by the Executi~ Committee and the Board of Directors of the Chamber. Th ~y First, allow me to state that as a community development organization concerned with retention of existing tax base and broadening of the base, via recruitment of new business and industry, we wish to remind Council of the following factors that impact on PortsmoUth from this perspective: 1. According to the Virginia Division of Industrial Development and the 1980 report on manufacturing business climate, prepared by Alexander Grant and Company in cooperation with t~ con-~erence of State manufacturers' associations, government- imposed taxes, fees and regulations highlight the factors considered by a firm in evaluation a given community, real estate, machinery and tool and public utility taxes are the major taxes considered in the evaluation. Of the three, Portsmouth has a favorable public utility tax rate at present, is proposing a real estate tax that would lead all Southside Hampton Roads cities, but not be totally disportiona~ to other rates in the State, and has a machinery and tool tax of $1.50 per ~100 of assessed value which is higher than any of our neighboring communities. ~t exceeds the State average of .66 by .84 and is now proposed for 33 1/3%~increase; to $2.00 per $100~00 of accessed value. 2. Other factors that are considered are local living conditions such as the quality of schools and hospitals, housing, recreational and cultural opportunities and individual taxes. While our posture is generally in opposition to tax increases, we recognize and fully appreciate the current financial crisis facing the City of Portsmouth. Further, of the eleven (11) proposed increases in tax rates and fees currently under consideration by the Council, the Chamber is in agreement that most are justifiable at present. ?herefore, we wish to make the following recommendations for your consideration on the proposed budget: ~' 1. That no increase be made in the machinery and tool tax. Any further mncrease in this tax would seriously endanger thea~forts of the Chamber and the City to attract new industries so vitaIly needed to broaden the tax base. Secondly, it would place Portsmouth at a disadvantage to comb at the outward migration of existing industry. ~U