4 Things About Voting in Albemarle and Charlottesville on 6 November 2018
You might have heard. 6 November there's an election. Make sure you know where you're supposed to vote. Check the sample ballot before you go in. Here's the Charlottesville City sample ballot Here's the Albemarle County sample ballot You've studied the constitutional amendments, right? Right? Now's a…
Tariffs, Affordability, and the Charlottesville Real Estate Market
I'm no economist. But, I can read. And I can read people. Uncertainty is bad. Headwinds are bad. Perception is often reality and when materials costs are higher, costs to build are more expensive, homebuyers' prices will rise, and our community continues to want new homes…
Public Hearing on Albemarle County 2017 Property Tax Hike
No one showed. https://twitter.com/NeilSWilliamson/status/851924538619305984 Now, you have another opportunity to express your opinion about Albemarle County property taxes. Mark your calendars, folks - 15 May 2017 via email: (bolding mine) The Board of Supervisors held public hearings on the Calendar Year 17 Tax Rate and the…
Economic Development in Albemarle County?
I remember many years ago, a former Supervisor of Albemarle County said something to the effect, "we shouldn't incentivize companies to come to Albemarle County; they should already want to come." Sadly, I think many within Albemarle believe their own press. That's not good enough. This should be…
Albemarle’s Courts and Buses
Two stories of note regarding the Charlottesville City + Albemarle County relationship Albemarle moves forward with study of courts relocation (December 2016) The Albemarle County Board of Supervisors voted Wednesday to hire a consultant to assist with a study on moving the county courthouses or the county’s main…
Being a Citizen Takes Effort. And Sacrifice
"Only one person spoke during the public hearing and he said he was uncertain about the future roadways." One person spoke. Surely, more than one person is affected or cared. 2017 is a good year to get involved, locally. Pack the meetings ... even when…
VDOT Marketing Homes Through Zillow & not the MLS
This is not a post about Zillow vs the MLS. This is a post asking one question: Why is VDOT not marketing the homes they have for sale through the MLS? They are listed "for sale by owner" on Zillow. That's it. That's the question.…
Albemarle County’s Rivanna District 2015 Election – These Matter
Local elections matter. 5,186 people voted in 2011; that's not many people. The three candidates for the Rivanna District have had the audio and video from their interviews posted. Charlottesville Tomorrow is holding their Rivanna District Candidate forum on 10 September at 6pm. If you're interested…
A Warning about Regulating AirBnB in Charlottesville (City)
AirBnB remains a constant source of income for some, convenience for many, and challenges for adjacent homeowners in some instances. The real challenge may lie with governments’ attempts to regulate AirBnB. I was listening to 106.1 The Corner’s Coffee with a (Charlottesville City) Councilor, the…
Albemarle County Seeks to Increase Property Taxes
Albemarle County is seeking to raise real estate taxes and the City may be looking to do the same next year. The Albemarle Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to advertise a real estate tax rate of 82.4 cents per $100 of assessed property value, a…